


In The Neighborhood

by ramblesandshambles



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: #Caryl #twd, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-14 23:44:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 76
Words: 95,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3429926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ramblesandshambles/pseuds/ramblesandshambles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Neighborhood watch. Could be read alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sequel to Neighborhood Watch. Everyone is ten years older. Carl Grimes is going to be written in as Rick Grimes wayward nephew, with a bad attitude. The Greene's are gone, Dead or whatever....... Just gone, leave it up to your own imagination. 

 

***********************************************************************************************************************

'IS................... Sophia gonna be in trouble?' 9 year old Charlie Dixon looked at his Dad across the dinner table. Daryl glanced at Carol, Charlie got a kick under the table from Eden to make him stop talking and asking questions. His twin sister, Cameron glared at him her fathers glare begging him to stop. Jordan just watched tapping the table with a nervous twitch with one hand and started chewing on her lip waiting for someone to say something, they were all pushing their dinner around on their plates waiting for their Dad to explode or yell or do something, he never yelled or got angry, but this time they though he was going to blow his top,  'Cos she took your's and uncle Merle's car?'

Daryl had 5 kids, and Merle had 4 they didn't ask for a lot, for the past 6 years they had been working slowly on doing up a 1964 Mustang convertible and Sophia had taken it out to the lake without permission to a party she was told she was not allowed to go to. Daryl was pissed more than pissed. He was barely keeping his shit together. He was mad, they had grounded her last weekend because she went on a date with a much older guy and lied about going to the movies instead. Tuesday night she had sneaked out the window from the second floor of the old farm house to go hang with some friends. 

Today she had pulled the mustang out and gone without a care in the world. She was really trying them at the moment. Nearly 17, she'd been taught how to drive, but Daryl wouldn't let her have a car because he felt her attitude stank and she didn't need to be rewarded. He wasn't so soft on the kids as he used to be. He'd perfected the method of time outs and removal of treats.

His cute little Sophia who he'd adored since she was 5 was turning into someone he wasn't sure if he liked. He loved her but liking her wasn't always there. Carol was nervous she kept looking at the clock, she was worried. Sophia had been away for hours. She'd rung around some of the other kids parents and half were home already. Sophia had been banned from the lake because she broke curfew twice in the past two weekends. 

'She will be in trouble, yes,' Carol interjected. She moved from the dinner table, went outside to scan the road. They'd brought the Greenes farm 5 years ago when their 3 bedroom house was splitting at the seams. They had a padock of odds and sods animals at the end of their roads. Carol had long given up telling him no. She looked at the old ugly bitch that was lazing on the porch knowing that her days would soon be over and she would be replace quickly by someone else needing a loving home. He never took the young ones, always the ones no one would ever want.

She wandered down the deck to go greet the old donkey he brought home a month ago. They were slowly flattering her up. Daryl put in the hours to feed them, clean them helping her around the small farm. She didn't resent it. She loved it. She'd gone back to teaching part time at the high school much to Sophia's disgust. Carol needed it though after years of babies and diapers, adult conversations were what she needed.

Daryl come up behind her wrapping his arms around her. 'What do we do now?' He asked her.

'I don't know, close our eyes and hope for the best?' Carol offered.

He kissed her neck, they had been married over ten years but their affection for each other never failed, he never missed a quiet moment when they were alone together to be affectionate with her, he never took for granted that they had plenty of time later. When the kids were little and they had 4 under two he went months without alone time. There always seemed to be someone awake or sick or they were just too tired. Now the kids were older and they had converted the attic into their bedroom with a bathroom they could hear feet coming up the stairs, he put in a motion sensor that went off the moment someone put their foot on the stairs. He'd put in huge windows, so they could see the stars at night. He couldn't sleep with the door shut or without a night light but some nights the stars were bright enough he could leave it off.

'I don't know Carol,' Daryl didn't go on, they'd talked about a all girl boarding school if Sophia didn't pick up her grades and stop chasing boys. Daryl had vetoed the idea not wanting any of their kids thinking they were not wanted, but now he just wanted to get her through high school. 'What we gonna do with her?'

'She's a good girl, she's just ................. I can't even say she easily led, it was probably her idea,' Carol told him, he shook his head moving into kiss her. By parenting standards they were still young, not quite in their forties, it still sent a big freak out to their kids when they saw them kiss. Daryl just told them it was his house he could kiss their Mama when he wanted. They kissed a lot, held hands and snuggled together. Sophia constantly pointed out they were too old to be doing that. They just laughed, happy they still wanted to hold hands, and kiss. They kept the more heated kissing for the bedroom. Or when they knew they were really alone alone. They didn't see any harm in letting the kids see they were happy to kiss, hug and hold hands.

'I'm going to report it as stolen,' Daryl said quietly, Carol glanced at him wondering if putting the fear up her of going into the police station would put the fear of God up her.  'And get her picked up, we know which way she will be coming, I'm going to pull in a few favours,' 

Carol nodded, she didn't know if she agreed or not but things were getting out of hand quickly. They needed to do something she knew, but maybe he was taking it to far, but then at the same time what happened if she snuck out to meet the wrong type of boy.

 

*************************************************************************************************

'I said no!' Sophia had been kissing a boy she just met at the lake from another high school behind the changing rooms, he'd tried to put his hand up her shirt and she'd batted it away, she wasn't like that. She'd dated a few guys, shared a few kisses, she didn't know what was wrong with her tonight, she tried to clear her head a little.

'Your a tease,' the boy told her trying to kiss her again.

'The girl said no buddy,' a voice come from behind them, Carl Grimes walked out of the changing rooms, he looked mean. He had jean's on, a tee shirt and his leather jacket on. Sophia had seen him swimming in the lake a little way off with another group and know he was a muscly guy with tattoo's on his back. She didn't know if Uncle Rick knew he had them or not. She'd never paid him much attention. He'd been to their house a few times with his uncle in the past 6 months. He'd fallen in with a bad crowd they were trying to straighten him out. She'd  heard he was on probation and if he mucked up again he would go to juvenile detention. 

He was a badass, popular instantly, a different type of popular to what Sophia was, he was street smart, cool, he didn't say much but people wanted to be like him or his friend. Sophia was popular because she come up with the idea's, she'd planned the party at the lake, she wasn't preppy but people liked her, she was friends with everyone in the school but Carl Grimes. Mainly because when he arrived everyone switched from her to him. Before he arrived people copied her, wanted to be like her, hang with her. Now she was doing wilder and wilder things to keep her popularity up.

'What you going to do about it Grimes?' the boy asked. His words were slurred and Carl could tell he probably had his drinks spiked too. 

'Nothing, come on Sophia, they spiked the drinks,' Carl held his hand out to her, she realized why her head was fuzzy and she was kissing random boys. She hesitated for a moment and took it, following him around to the main part of the lake it was starting to get dark, she was going to be in so much trouble. There were  a few drunk girls, he'd just got out of the lake to find the girl he'd come with drunk dancing with some other girls he sat them down and had a guy from the science club watch them, he went to get changed to try figure out some stuff when he saw Sophia getting hit on by some guy.

'She drunk too?' another guy come up to him. It seemed there were twenty kids left and most were girls who were drunk. Carl was pissed. He'd tried to ring his Uncle discovering there was no phone coverage there the boys come up with a plan to split them up with sober drivers driving each car home. He'd though something was up, two guys brought drinks and handed them out, he'd been putting girls onto a rug on the side of the lake for the past half hour. Those guys left when they realized there were guys looking out for the girls at the lake. Carl and four other guys managed to get the girls sorted into cars to go home.

He was an arsehole but he didn't believe in taking advantage of drunk girls,  he looked at Daryl's mustang and groaned. It was only him and Sophia left she had her arm's wrapped around him, he looked down at her wondering why he ever thought she was cute, she was pretty stupid, he knew her Daddy wouldn't have given her his prize and joy to bring to the lake. Sophia was a bit of a wild card, he hadn't worked her out yet.

He'd given his car to someone else to drive. He was going to get into big trouble with his uncle he knew but he was driving home in style. He shoved a half asleep Sophia in the front seat and buckled her in. He started the engine and it purred like a kitten. He loved cars, he'd been secretly admiring this car all day, his uncle had shown him it in the Dixon's shed when he went there for some birthday party for the hundreds of kids the Dixon's had. 

He was only about a mile from the Dixon's farm, Sophia was sound asleep in the passenger seat with her mouth wide open when he saw flashing lights in the mirror, he swore and cursed and pulled over. He sat there tapping his fingers and wound down the window waiting. He knew it was Uncle Rick he could tell by the way he walked and knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

'This car has been reported as stolen,' He bent down and looked shocked to see his nephew at the steering wheel.

'Get out!' he growled at Carl. He looked across at Sophia clearly seeing she was drunk, he could smell it, 'What did you do to her? You took Daryl's car and went drinking with Sophia?'

Shane Walsh hopped out of the passengers seat to go see Rick who was trying to wake Sophia up to make sure she was ok, she mumbled at them to stop shinning the light in her eyes, and she was fine.

'Nothin', I didn't do nothing,' Carl tried to tell him, he knew he wouldn't be believed he never was, he walked around the back of the mustang fished in his pockets and pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one. He gave no fucks of the shit he was going to get in now. They though he got Sophia drunk and stole Daryl's car. He was going. He knew it. 'Fuck off both of ya, I did nothing and when she wakes she'll tell you,'

Carl pushed off the back of the car shoving his hands in his pockets seeing Daryl and Merle Dixon pull up in their truck deciding he didn't need their shit he walked off down the side of the road before they discovered he had left, his fists jammed in his pocket swearing and smoking. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and tried not to cry. He was done, he knew it, he had no chances left and if Daryl Dixon reported his car stolen when his own kid took it he wasn't going to be nice to the guy who no one wanted around because he made a few mistakes. 

He made it to the edge of town, kicking a stone as he went. He knew he couldn't go home so he just walked around and finally went into the park, sitting and smoking on one of the swings. Using his foot to swing back and forward. He ignored his phone. He was trying. He'd made mistakes, he was getting good grades now. It was all Sophia's fault, now he was going to take the fall. He didn't know how long he sat there, hours maybe, he did know he run out of smokes a while ago.

He heard the gate of the park creak open and clang shut, the figure looked around and he heard someone call his name, 'Carl? Carl?' he looked around the dark finally his eyes adjusting in the dark. He could see the bulk of Daryl Dixon walking towards him. Carl just shut his eyes and waited.

 

 

'

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Carl sat still waiting for a blow or something, he didn't know what was coming his way, he didn't really trust men. His mother had had lots of boyfriends through the house, he knew who his father was but never met him. Some had used him as a punching bag, some had ignored him. Some had thought it might be a two for one deal. She always got rid of them quick smart but sometimes the next guy was as bad as the first, it was only when Carl picked up the phone to ring his Uncle Rick to come to court with him to try keep him out of the detention center did Rick realize the dire situation his sister had gotten into.

He'd taken them both in. Helped her find a job and they were well on the way to making her realize she didn't need a man to be happy. He helped her enrolled into night school in the town nearby and Carl was starting to do well in school then tonight he was surprised to see him behind the wheel of Daryl's car with a very drunk Sophia at his side.

Carl heard the squeak of the swing next to him, the sound of a smoke being lit and the low grumbling words, 'Do you want one?'

Carl glanced his way and quickly took a smoke out of the pack he was offering. It was the vice Daryl couldn't give up. He'd cut back but he still had a couple most days, Carol didn't like it but he washed his hands and used mouth wash and mints and didn't smoke in front of their kids, off round behind the barn like he was a naughty kid. He knew she hated it.

'Thanks,' he mumbled pulling out his lighter and lighting it. Daryl watched him not saying much, taking him all in. He met kids like Carl before, he wasn't going to speak he could tell he took a breath and started.

'I wanna thank ya for taking care of my girl,' Daryl told him, 'showed courage, didn't get much outa her but she said you helped her with some boy, and got her home and everyone else home safe, I'm proud of ya,'

'Yeah doesn't matter, everyone thinks I stole the car,' Carl kicked the ground and huddled  into his jacket some more, Daryl just told him he was proud of him, he didn't know much about him then if doing that made him proud. Carl couldn't help but take his words in accepting them, breathing deep, no one ever told him something he did made them proud, especially not some drunk chick's Daddy who knew he driven his car.  'Doesn't matter, people, everyone.............. they all know I'm bad, I got no chances left,'

'Well, I doubt it, I dropped the charges, your fine, your not going no where,' Daryl told him he stood up and held his hand out to Carl to shake it, 'Your a good guy Carl, Sophia's lucky to have a friend like you,'

'We ain't friends, I don't even like her.................. she's .................. sorry,' Carl mumbled, he shook Daryl's hand anyway. 'Thanks, doesn't matter none anyway,'

'Maybe you should be her friend, she sure could have some friends with working brains right now, that arn't going to lead her astray,' Daryl gave him a half smile, 'I'm not telling you to date my daughter, though, I'm saying she needs good friends, you were a good friend to her tonight,'

'An't wanna date her anyways, she's up........................... sorry,' Carl mumbled again. Daryl bit his lip to stop a smile, he had no doubts of what he was going to say. Carl had Sophia's number and knew she was a brat mostly, he still stuck his neck out for her, stood up to strangers to protect her.

'That's why she needs good guys, we're the good guys. Your a good guy Carl, you protected all those girls tonight, keep them safe, Rick's had about 12 phone calls from different Dad's tonight wanting to thank you,' Daryl told him, Carl looked at him with a little interest.

'Carl, if you wanna stop by the garage Monday, you can, Rick said your interested in cars. We gotta learning bay some of the teens come and use, you can strip a engine down and put it back together or do stuff. We got a whole area for teens to come hang out and do stuff with cars, you should come.' Daryl told him. 'Need to do an oil change one night soon on the Mustang, you could help,' Daryl dangled the carrot.

'Maybe,' Carl looked at him. He was still sitting on the swing.

'Come on Rick's waiting for you,' Daryl pointed to the cop car parked across the street in the dark. Carl hadn't noticed it yet, Rick was standing beside it waiting for Daryl and Carl to be done. Carl looked across in the dark at him, he shrugged not moving.

'He doesn't want me,' Carl mumbled, 'He just has too, he got his own two kids, he doesn't want me, doesn't care. Didn't care when I brought home a B yesterday,'

'Look Carl, Rick doesn't do anything he doesn't have too,' Daryl held out his hand again and pulled Carl off the swing. This was one 17 year old with one of the biggest chips on his shoulders he had ever seen. He put his hand between his shoulder blades and gave him a gentle shove in Rick's direction. Rick walked across the road and gave him a hug telling him something Daryl couldn't hear and he hopped in the squad car. Daryl walked around and leaned in the window.

'Did you tell him you got a B?' he asked him.

'Put it on his desk he said nothing,' Carl told him, Daryl sighed, he'd seen Rick's desk, you wouldn't find anything on his desk. Rick wouldn't have found anything on his desk for a long time. 

'And?' Rick asked Daryl.

'He's pretty low, defeated, you know as much as I do, reminds me of me as a teen, he's got a good heart. He could of left all those kids, he didn't. Tell him your proud.' Daryl told him. Rick nodded. 'Tell him you want him with you guys, living there.' 

'Course we want him there,' Rick said, 'I'll ring you tomorrow,'

'Sophia's going to be stopping by about 1pm to thank him,' Daryl told Rick, whether Sophia wanted to or not she was going to be fronting up to thank that boy. Sophia was also going to be joining the youth program they run after school though the garage too. Maybe learning how to take an engine apart and putting it back together will do her some good, also he would know where she was.

'Well when you go home, look on your desk, he put something there yesterday,' Daryl told him. He waved goodbye and climbed into his own truck sitting there for a moment, pulling himself in from chewing on his thumb. He hadn't done it for a few years, Sophia tonight had some of his old twitches coming out. He drove off thinking he was going to go home, take a shower, wake his wife up and hopefully if she wasn't mad she would let him make love to her. He drove home thinking of different ways he could possibly wake her.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Carol heard the buzz of Daryl walking slowly up the stairs to their bedroom, she had the tv flickering watching some comedy. She'd put Sophia to bed after giving her some food and a drink. It seemed someone had spiked the soda's. Carol was mad, Daryl had gone out after Carl Grimes with Rick when they discovered the teen left the scene. He shoved Sophia into the house for Carol to deal with but knew he had to go find the other teen before he did something stupid and got into trouble somewhere.

'You find him?' she asked he nodded, indicating he was going through to their bathroom to shower. It was their pride and joy. Two person shower, a bath big enough for both of them and a huge window so they could look out at the stars at night. Candlelit baths together sometimes had been the only thing they had late at night once the kids were in their rooms.

Daryl wasn't sure about the bath but the first time they had mind blowing sex in it he knew it was a great investment. They no longer had to worry about birth control and basically since the kids were older their sex life was more physical and frequent. Carol followed him into the bathroom watching him step under the spray, he had a tooth brush hanging out of his mouth and he looked at her.

'Come in,' he suggested, he grabbed his shower gel washing himself, then started washing his hair. Carol stepped in turning the other side of the shower on and stepped under the stray watching Daryl. He finished washing and stepped towards her kissing her, then down her neck, breasts, across her belly where she hated all her stretch marks from the twins. He loved them, he licked her belly button, then put his hands on her arse and pulled her to his mouth. On his knees his tongue went round her clit. She put her hands onto the wall to steady herself.

He pulled her hands so she was kneeling in front of him, he kissed her again. His hands on her breasts and his mouth on her neck moving up behind her ear. He was hard, she wrapped her hand round him stroking him, he turned her round, guided himself into her behind her, both on their knees with the water pounding down on them, he had one arm wrapped across her chest and his finger stroking her clit as he moved inside her.

He knew how hard to go, how much pressure to put on her clit, where she liked to be kissed, licked. Sometimes they changed it up sometime they like slow lazy love making, tonight he pushed her forward so she was on her hands and knees for him, he flicked her clit some more and could feel her coming under his touch and pulled her back up so he could hold her breasts while she rode through her orgasm and he came hard inside her, his mouth nipping at her neck. She turned her head meeting his mouth, they stayed there for a few moments before getting to shaky feet to stand in each others arms under the running water washing each other down, and kissing some more.

Finally both snuggled up in bed, he leaned to kiss her some more, pulling her to him tight. He relaxed some and looked at the time, thinking they should sleep but her hand was stroking up and down his arse, he nodded he the half dark letting her take the lead for the next round.

*******************************************************

'Sophia, get up,' Carol come into her room around 8am, she pulled open the window and looked around the messy bedroom, the open window let fresh air in the room that definatly needed it. 'Come on, Daddy's waiting for you in the barn then, your baby sitting while we go out to breakfast.'

Something else come about every Sunday once the wives found out what was going on at Daddy coffee group they changed to to 'Spring Break,' every Sunday they brought something for breakfast to share, and went out of the house without the kids to meet their friends at the rooms beside the garage.

'Noooooo, I'm sick,' Sophia moaned.

'Too bad, move it,' Carol poked her a little. 'Get going,'

'No, I have a head ache,' Sophia moaned, it was splitting then she remembered the car, and Carl Grimes, 'Is Carl in trouble?'

'No, but you are, move it, or your Dad will have you mucking out the pigs,' Carol told her, Sophia pulled on some shorts and a tee shirt, stumbled down the stairs stopping in the kitchen for a drink then went outside where Merle and Daryl were mucking around with the old tractor near the barn, she wandered over, they both looked at her and turned away carrying on what they were doing. She knew she was well in trouble.

'I'm sorry Dad, Uncle Merle,' she started.

'Go do all the water troughs and then come back and see me,' Daryl told her curtly, Sophia nodded, she knew she was in big trouble when she wasn't greeted by a smile and a hug by her Dad, 'Help Charlie feed out the chickens and the donkey,'

'Sure,' Sophia went into the barn calling out to Charlie, he stuck his head out from up in the loft and called her to come up. She nodded climbing up to see him, out of all her siblings she like him the most, he was a cute chubby baby who always was smiling at her and giggling, the girls were pains always getting into her stuff and breaking things, they were not so bad now but when they were little she didn't like them that much. She did love Charlie and his big blue eyes, 'What do you have?'

He was always up to something, gathering and exploring, coming back covered in mud. He kept to the rules that he had to be able to see the house at all times if he wanted to go into the woods he had to take someone with him often Sophia would trail behind him following looking at things. He held up a jar with a tiny fish in it swimming around in water. He opened it up and showed it to her.

'You know Daddy wouldn't like you to do that,' she told him he nodded, 'you need to put it back in the pond,'

'Not allowed to go alone, can you take me,' he asked her, he'd made the decision to sneak it home in a cup to look at now he had no way of getting it back. Daryl didn't like them taking stuff out of the pond unless they were going to eat it.

'Come on lets go quick then we need to do the jobs,' she told him, they moved out the back crossing across behind the barn to the  pond they put in for swimming in, it had a pier for jumping off and swimming in. Daryl and Merle put big fish in there and told them they could only catch what they could eat. Sophia knew he would be upset if he knew Charlie had a fish in a jar in the barn. They let it go and went back to the barn to start doing the jobs that they had to do.

When they finished they went up to the house, Daryl was sitting at the kitchen table with Carol on his lap they were reading the paper, he had been kissing her neck and laughing at something she said. Sophia rolled her eyes, they always were touching and doing stuff like that. How old was too old to be in love. She stood in the kitchen waiting for them to notice her.

'Soph?' Carol asked finally, they both looked at her, having discussed they would wait for her to talk first.

'I'm really sorry, it won't happen again,' she started. 

Daryl shook his head, 'No it won't, you nearly had that boy in so much trouble last night when by the sounds of things he stopped someone who was all over you, your going to go see him and thank him,'

'And we decided, your going to work in the garage, pumping gas every day after school for the next month,' Carol told her. They brought the only petrol station in town that was on the other side of the garage when the old man who run it was retiring and offered it to them. They brought it and had it open 7 days a week. Daryl and Merle staffed it mainly with the kids from their outreach program, giving them self worth and a paid job. Carol run it the day's she wasn't working and Andrea helped. Daryl and Merle took weekends about running it with staff for them or on their own. 

Until now they hadn't had Sophia helping only baby sitting, walking with the kids home from the bus but things were about to change. All 5 of them were going to come to the garage after school and all 5 were going to be working in some sort of fashion. Sophia had led the way of what would happen if they let the kids become spoilt and now Daryl had a list of jobs for Cameron, Jordan and Eden, and Charlie loved hanging out with them and at the petrol station so he could do whatever. Plus they had the building set up for kids after school to strip engines, or do homework. 

Other kids in the community loved going there after school. Sophia was going to learn how strip a engine and change car oil whether she wanted too or not. Sophia knew a little about Daryl's past but had limited memories of facts. They hadn't told the younger kids about his past, they'd seen his back and torso but just didn't think to ask. 

'Ok, but do I have to talk to Carl?' she asked.

'Sure do, and now your baby sitting, can we trust you?' Carol asked her.

'I'm gona look after them, promise,' Sophia's only income come from looking after the kids, she got paid now she wouldn't be doing it after school it would take a hunk out of her buying clothes and things. 'Uh arn't you guys to old to be doing that?'

'Doing what?' Carol asked her.

'That, sitting on Dad's knee?' Sophia made a shuddering movement.

'No, I like sitting here,' Carol told her, Daryl looked up from the paper at Sophia waiting for the 'Its gross and your old,' she didn't disappoint.

'Its gross, you guys are to old to be doing that stuff?' Sophia told them, 'there's kids around,'

'How do you think the kids got here Sophia?' Daryl asked her, and used his hand in a shooing motion for her to leave them in peace, he kissed Carol's neck again, 'we should be going,'

Carol stood up moving and stretching in front of him, they were both tired, from their night time activities and stress, he looked around not seeing anyone and took a chance on grabbing her arse and snuggling into her belly nuzzling at her shirt. She smoothed his hair and pulled him up to go shower so they could go meet the others for breakfast.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

'Can we trust her?' Daryl wondered as they were driving into breakfast.

'Yes, plus I've got the key's for everything in here,' Carol held up her handbag, Daryl let out a bit of a chuckle, he reached across and squeezed her knee. 'She will look after the kids, beside's how's she going to keep four mouths from blabbing if she does something?'

'True,' Daryl still was a bit worried, they had been letting her babysit since she was 15, the kids were all good kids, but never over night or all day. 2 hours after school 2 days a week and on Sundays. Trust had been lost but they had faith in her she would watch her siblings, or keep an eye on them for two hours. Then they were going to go to Rick and Sasha's for the afternoon. 

They Stopped at the bakery to buy some stuff to take in, they were greeted like long lost friends of the owners. The Dixon's had good reputations around town, Daryl and Merle were often rung at night by parents with wayward teens to help. 

They run the programs for some right out of the garage, and the building next door. They applied for special licences to have it run off the work site, from 4-5.30pm every night they had a range of boys partisipating or cleaning gear and helping out. A few girls had been through and starting tomorrow Sophia was going to be given a rude awakening. Daryl couldn't help but laugh when he knew he would give her overalls to wear, and make her tie her hair up.

He was pissed that everyone else come to them with their kids problems for help and their own kid was climbing out the window and boosting his car. He cuddled into Carol's back from behind pressed up against her back while they waited for their order to come in the little cafe they went to every Sunday. He nuzzed her neck, he was getting bored with the waiting but enjoyed the fact that they had time to themselves away from their kids.

Something they started when their second set of twins were 6 weeks old, their house was a mess, Carol wouldn't stop crying and he said enough was enough Daryl gave up his no asking Beth Greene to baby sit rule. He picked up the phone and begged her to come and go for a walk pushing the pram for a couple of hours up and down the road. Sophia went to Merle and Andrea. Beth put in her ear phones and walked pushing their double double pram. Two sleeping toddlers on the top and two sleeping babies underneath. She walked the road twice before parking the sleeping babies on the porch of the Greenes house. Hershal helped her lift the full pram up.

Daryl dragged a crying Carol through the shower and they dressed then went out to this very cafe for a late breakfast and they had been doing it every Sunday morning ever since that morning. Every Sunday between 10 - 10.30 am they showed up to either eat or pick up a bag of take always depending on how many friends they were meeting in the lounge in the building they had been using for Daddy play group.

They were finally handed their food, they left going down to the their Garage. They were proud of what they achieved. They slowly made over the building. It had the nursery for the children who passed through the doors. The offices, moved from the work shop through the wall to the garage. Easily accessed through huge doors. They had large rooms set up, one was a play room, with toys and a tv on the wall for DVD's. School holidays were spent there. They took a few days off to go on short holidays over the years, but generally they made the building an extension to their homes.

Merle had a baby who come with Andrea some day's and a 3 year old who sometimes came to the office and sometimes went to pre school. The kids loved to come to the garage. they extended the training rooms so the teens could strip car's down and put them back together. They taught them skills to focus on something. To do the program they had to stay off drugs and try get good grades, they had a wall of honor in the homework room where anything above a D was celebrated. Some of the kids when they started didn't even show up for tests.

They helped with homework and organised for one boy in the past to have a writer because they quickly discovered he was dyslexic. They also had Zac working full time for them now, he took a change of heart and loved working with the Dixon's, he was starting to take over some of the programs with the at risk kids. At 27 he'd stepped up and turned his life around from when he been running around the town chasing Beth Greene. He was single, and had been for some time now. Always keeping an eye out for someone who might be the one. 

Maggie and Glenn moved into Daryl's old house, and generally they still were a tight nit group of people. Meeting on Sundays kept that close bond going even when their children were really small. There had been some ups and down's, Maggie had been trying for a baby for 4 years with three miscarriages and they were all crossing their fingers for her at the moment.

Shane and Rosita, had had more break ups than they probably knew about. They seemed to be sticking it out better now, with Marriage counseling but Rosita's affair had hit Shane hard. He left and spent a good few weeks looking at the end of a beer bottle until they managed to get him and Rosita to sit and talk or throw 8 years away. Merle and Andrea were the only ones ticking along without issue. Andrea told Carol it was due to blow jobs and oral sex one morning over coffee in the staff room one morning when she had just had a small argument with Daryl because she backed the truck into the wall because she was putting on lipstick. She nearly choked on her coffee.

She told her once the sex was gone, all you were talking about was diapers and nappy rash. You needed to have sex to stay connected with your partner even if you were really mad at him, 'use and abuse him,' she told her, nothing calms down a argument like an orgasm. Carol took her advice after she and Daryl were going through a particular bad patch and arguing about little snippy things, she took him out the back of the office's, pushed him to the ground behind her desk and climbed him like a tree. All arguments were invalid while she was riding him behind the desk. He was certainly calmer after one and so was she. Since then they settled many heated discussions with sex, the they were able to talk about it calmer after both of them having mind blowing orgasms.

Carol wasn't sure if sometimes he picked a small argument  because he knew she would take him into her office to 'talk' about it. When he trotted along behind her knowing what she would do. It turned out both the Dixon boys were sex driven and would do just about anything to get a feel in and they loved their wives, they also loved having sex with them. The more the better. Daryl was even more keen now they knew they didn''t have to be careful about getting pregnant. Daryl had the snip before the last set of twins were born. All and all they were happy and they had a couple of hours off without the kids, and still had 1/2 hour before any of their friends showed up.

'Sooooooooooo what should we do with all this time?' Daryl asked her looking straight at her chest when he turned the alarm off, Carol just shook her head and giggled. He never grew tired.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ugh , I'm not sure about this chapter at all, I'm trying to have it so Carl telling Sophia she doesn't have to change who she is to fit in or be popular. I think I just made Carl come across as and arse. 
> 
> Also I don't know where I will eventually take their relationship. I won't be writing any sexy stuff though, you can use your own imaginations. kissing and stuff fine. more than kissing makes me feel a little weird. Hope you get the jist of this. Leave a comment as always I love them.

'Your so stupid Sophia, you could have got yourself into a whole shit of trouble, and you didn't fucken know,' Carl threw at Sophia, they were walking the block, she tried to flip her hair and make a half hearted apology and Carl was having none of it. He was so mad at her. He didn't know why she annoyed him so much. She frustrated him every time he looked her way at school. She always seemed to be doing something. He'd met her many times with his Uncle and even had dinner at their house a few times.

She come over to baby sit when he was just new in town, to help him look after his cousins because they didn't know him well enough yet. He'd sat through his share of chick flicks at his house and the Dixon's because he couldn't go running from the house screaming at his Uncle 'Why are you doing this to me?' Daryl always spoke to him kindly, he couldn't understand why she was the way she was when she had parents like she had.

'God,' Sophia tried, 'I'm sorry, what more do you want me to do,' he stared at her while she actually flipped her hair, in an attempt to maybe flirt at him. She flashed him a smile that didn't meet her eyes, she was talking the talk but not walking the walk.

'You know you were drunk and left with a guy you didn't know, you were lucky he was green and didn't know what to do with a girl,' Carl stopped walking, Sophia tried to talk to him out the back at the Grimes place but Carl half pulled her by her hand half way around the block so he could have a chat without the adults listening. She had no choice but to follow him, he was pissed, she wasn't used to people her age being cross with her. Everyone liked her, and never said anything about what she did, except Carl Grimes who was letting lose at her.

'You stole your Dad's car, you got one of the nicest Dad's around, your a real stuck up rich snooty cow,' he carried on, 'I could have gone on a skate because of you, you could have wreaked my one last chance because you were too dumb to think about why strange guys were giving you drinks, don't you know nothing? Guy's don't just go buying or giving out drinks, surely you know that right?'

'I.................. I didn't think,' Sopha stuttered, she hadn't her parents had told her over and over never to drink someone elses drink or leave her drink unattended, all she thought was she was mad at her parents for not letting her go and they took the younger kids to the movies because it was their weekend off working and they left her home because she didn't want to go to a Disney movie, she took the car and didn't look back.

'Not everyone thinks what you do is cute, I have no idea why your so popular because clearly your an airhead,' Carl told her. He was done with her, he bailed her out because regardless of what his reputation was around town he couldn't walk past a drunk girl being felt up by someone when she was trying to get it to stop. Three other guys did, glanced her way but were to scared to step in. Carl gave no fucks what anyone now though about him. He had just over a year left at school to turn his grades around so he could get a job or something.

He looked at how she was dressed he had no doubts she'd dressed up for him to look cute so he would be swayed because she was pretty, wearing a cute sundress and smelt nice but she didn't have a lot going on between her ears. He also knew she was nudging the line dress wise that her Daddy would allow for going out in public, he knew she pushed it on days her mother wasn't working at school, tighter tops and more makeup than she would normally wear, she had a spoilt look about her, he wasn't about to get sucked into her little flirty trap that had the other guys chasing her at school. Her hair flipping over her shoulder. He shook his head trying to get the thoughts clear because she nearly got herself in big trouble and somehow it all come back on him, her mistakes.

Sophia didn't really know what to do now, she normally managed to sweet talk people into liking her or doing what she wanted. She never come across someone who basically just called her an airhead. She looked at him, his faded jeans, simple black tee shirt and doc martin boots, she could see tattoos peeking out down his arm and one wrapped around his wrist. She didn't know how he got away with it at school. They couldn't very well make him take it off. She did remember he normally wore a whole heap of leather bands around his wrists. 

She knew her Mom and Dad had vouched for him. Her Dad was one of the most popular Councillors for teens around the area, along with Uncle Merle they managed to get him into high school in town. The school didn't have someone on the books, she knew he was called to the school a great deal to help with kids who lost there way. She remembered listening to them all talking one night about it when they thought she wasn't listening. Her Dad had talked the school into giving him a fair shot. She knew Carl had to cover up his tats the best he could.

She had vague memories from when they got together, she knew he wasn't biologically hers but she couldn't remember anything different but him being her Daddy. She had memories of him telling her his Dad was no good which was why he helped other kids. Why they went to night school, to help other kids. Her bad choices nearly had Carl in big trouble with the law and his Uncle.

'I'm sorry, I'm going to try not do that stuff,' she told him, he nodded, then he stepped in close and before she knew what had happened he pulled her hard against him holding her there dipping his head kissed her deeply that it nearly knocked her off her feet. He let her go as quick as it happened, an looked at her again. He looked a little smug that she just kissed him right back.

'Next time I might not be there, use your brain some ok?' He dug around in his pocket and pulled out his smoke looking at her staring at him. 'Go on back to ya old man, don't do no more shit that's going to make me have to defend your honor right, I ain't getting into no fights if you pull more dumb crap, next time you boost your old man's car your on your own,'

'I ummmmm ' Sophia stammered, she didn't know what just happened there. He just watched her and lit his smoke, looked around down the street and walked over to the curb and turned looking at her balancing on the curb looking at her.

'Stop going round kissing strange boys too,' he warned her, 'Not everyone's nice,'

'You just kissed me!' She stammered.

'Yeah I did, I'm telling ya not to go round kissing other strange boys,' he took his smoke from his lips, remembering that boy who was all over her last night, 'We not going steady or nothing.................. stop looking like your anyone's for the taking......................... I'm not fucken stupid, dressing one way when ya Ma's teaching and another when you know you won't get caught,'

Sophia's mind was blown, he'd been watching her. He was rough spoken, and he really didn't give one what she thought of him or anyone thought. 

'Are you telling me what to wear?' Sophia was confused.

'Na, telling ya dress how the fuck you want just ..................... just................. if you wouldn't wear it in front of your olds and you have to hide that shit, don't see me hiding shit from Uncle Rick,....................... if you gotta hide it.................... you know,' He told her. She knew, he was telling her if she had to sneak about she shouldn't be doing it at all.

'You understand Sopha?' he asked.

'Not really, I don't know what's happened here,' she told him, first he growled at her and almost yelled at her, called her an airhead then kissed her, told her to sort her wardrobe out and he wasn't always going to be there to protect her honor.

'Nothing, just ............................. fuck....................... just don't be a ..........you know............ to everyone,' he told her, he then looked remorseful, 'Your not, just ...................... don't try be a people pleaser, just be yourself, who gives one what people think,'

'I do,' she said quietly, she did, she liked having lots of friends, but maybe he was right, no one would of noticed if she didn't show up. I was such a mess. 

'Ya shouldn't ............ we better get back before they come snooping or something,' he stubbed out his smokes and grabbed her hand again pulling her back to Rick's place, 'Just because we both call Rick Uncle Rick doesn't make us cousins,' he told her, she nodded, he let go before they were in view of the house moving away from her a bit then when they come inside he kept away and ate some food. 

His test scores had made it to the fridge right alongside the other kids reports. He was pleased but embarrassed at the same time. He'd never had anything worth putting on a fridge before. He scoped out everyone, they were a noisy bunch, he sidled up close behind Daryl to ask if the offer to come was still open and Daryl told him yes, to come after school to fill in some paper work and agreements. Rick would come during the day to sign some stuff to allow him to join the program.

He wandered off to talk to Rick for a minute to ask him if he would take him to go get his car from the other side of town, Daryl heard them tossing him his truck keys telling him Sophia could drive him it was the least she could do. Carol watched as she followed him out to the truck to go pick up Carl's car. Sophia was being too compliant she was waiting for the next big thing to happen.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone gave me a prompt, 'Kitchen Sink' so here we go.

Daryl took the morning off and he waved the kids off to the bus stop, he'd fed everything that needed feeding and he was going back inside to try talk Carol into going out for morning tea or coffee  with him. She was in the kitchen rinsing the dishes, he stood watching her bending over to load the dishes. He knew he was caught staring.

'Come help, just don't stand there perving,' she tossed over her shoulder, he come over to help and started clearing the table and putting stuff in the dishwasher. He past close to her brushing up against her as he passed, he reached past her. 

'I know what your doing, you had it all ready this morning there's something wrong with you,' Carol told him. 

'I just a healthy male,' he told her, 'You should be wearing sexy clothes around the house,'

Carol burst out laughing, looking down at her old faded jean, bare feet and a black tee shirt, she still hadn't put on a bra. She showered and  pulled on her panties and jean's and tee shirt to get the kids out for school. They had been so late getting out of bed thanks to him waking her up and deciding they had enough time for sex before anyone started arguing or needed them, Carol couldn't resist his snuggling in her neck and his hand between her legs agreeing with him . They managed to get showers in before getting harassed by children needing help with things.

'Sexy, Daryl?' Carol giggled, he had his arms placed on either side of her. She tried to ignore him while she filled the sink with hot soapy water. She was facing the sink elbow deep in soapy water and he leaned in. Nudging her so her hips were hard against the sink. 

'Very,' he said in her ear, 'no kids,' he slipped one of his hands up the front of her tee shirt and found a breast, he rolled a nipple with his fingers. Carol groaned a little. He rubbed himself up behind her, he found himself grabbing a handful of bubbles and going up her shirt with his other hand. She laughed at how he was, and he had a handful of bubbles smearing them on her other breast too.

'Daryl,' she couldn't help giggling and tossed a handful of bubbles over her shoulder at him. 'You already had it this morning and yesterday morning and before bed,'

'So,' he tweaked her breasts, and licked her neck, 'are we rationing sex now?'

'No, but, god,' she threw her head back as he slipped a bubbly hand down her into her panties and stroked her slit, spreading her open and rubbing her clit with his bubbly hand. He grabbed more bubble rubbing them across her breasts. He was getting her feeling her up, pressed into her back. He couldn't stop kissing her neck. She leaned back onto him and groan.  

'Good?' he took his hand out and undid her jean's pushing them down to her feet, stepping on them so she could step out of them easily then turned her to face him. She was flushed a little and nodding. He picked her up and he sat her right on the edge of the sink, he looked at her thighs and started spreading the bubbly water on her, watching what he was doing. He then leaned her back so she was hanging over the edge, head on the window, he pulled her panties to the side and dipped his head to lick her. 

'Oh my god,' she groaned as his tongue flicked all around her, she was getting soaked and she was trying not to thrash so much or think about where they were, he pulled his head back and undid his pants, kicking them off, he stroked her clit a few times before lining her up and entering her. She squealed as the taps dug into her back. Pulling her onto him.  He half picked her up so she had no choice to wrap her legs around him, he looked around finally moving to the kitchen table. Lying her down on there.

'You ok?' he managed to grunt out.

'I'm fine,' she managed before she found her rhythm to meet his thrusts, she looked around looking around her kitchen not believing what they were doing, it was turning them both on being there with the doors open and right where they could get caught should someone stop by to visit, Daryl rubbed her over the edge before he finished. He stayed lying inside her, both of them now on the kitchen table. 

Daryl rolled off her moving off the table, looking around the kitchen for his underwear and jean's naked from the waist down. He threw Carol's jeans at her and laughed.

'Sunday dinners ain't gong to be the same,' he told her.

'You think?' she looked at him, 'Jeeze Daryl you might have a problem,'

'Yeah? If I do you do,' he teased her, they never could get enough, they looked at the clock and the kitchen.

'Your on clean up, spray it down Romeo,' She told him, 'I'm going to go shower,'

'Give me 5 I'll meet you,' He told her, she shook her head and headed off upstairs, Daryl just sprayed spray cleaner all around the kitchen and all over the table. By his theory he could leave it to soak for a bit while he went to shower with her. He locked the doors down stairs so they didn't get unwanted guest coming up looking for them while they were busy. Carol was surprised to find him climbing into the shower behind her. 

'Hey,' he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck.

'Did you clean the kitchen?' she asked as he turned her to him.

'Hmmmmm yeah,' he told her then shook his head so she knew he just sprayed it. 'You wanna go for a nap or you wanna go out for a coffee?'

'Is both an option?' Carol asked, and he nodded. He yawned and so did she. Half an hour later both of them were sound asleep.

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Sophia hopped off the bus at the primary school making sure her siblings went into the school building, she looked up as Carl Grimes come along the street with his cousins pointing them towards the front door, they were about 10 and 8. She had seen him sometimes dropping them off. They never spoke or even acknowledged each other. Her mother insisted she hoped off to watch them go into the building since the day Charlie showed up at the workshop not going into school. 

She stood watching her little brother who was a bit of a monkey. He was cute and smiley so he got away with more than he should. They all adored him because he was the only boy. She waved  good bye to her sisters then wondered if she should wait for Carl who walked his cousins to the actual door. She hesitated and decided she didn't walk with him normally so she started walking slower than usual along to the high school.

She couldn't believe that she was being put in the program by her father. The program for kids who lost their way or were getting in trouble. Kids like Carl, not like her, she shouldn't be going in the program. She reached the block to her school and met up with friends who were laughing about the events from the weekend. She watched, she felt someone brushing past her and looked up to see his back, he was fiddling in his pockets pulling on leather bands over his wrists as he went up the stairs into the school.

'So Carl Grimes,' her friend Tiffany looked at her, 'Saw a new side to him at the weekend, he's a hottie, he's your cousin right?'

'If I wasn't dating Tommy I would try,' another friend commented, Sophia watched his retreating back going into the school.

'He's NOT my cousin, I just call Uncle Rick, because he and my Dad are good friends, he's a honorary Uncle, so Carl and I are not even related,' Sophia told them, she didn't tell them she was adopted, she didn't know if they knew or not but it was never brought up. She didn't tell them everything.

The warning bell rang and they all headed inside the school heading towards their lockers to grab books, Sophia looked across at Carl who was standing talking to a odd group of boys. The geeks, the nerds who were super intelligent but couldn't hold conversations. Carl was standing there having a in depth conversation with one of them. The other two were standing there not making eye contact. Carl was swapping bits of paper and writing stuff down, nodded his thanks and left them to go to class. 

Sophia watched, she wouldn't talk to them, if someone saw her talking to the geeks. She rarely made eye contact with kids out of her own social group. She didn't even acknowledge Judy anymore at school. Wouldn't let on to anyone that they were cousins, even though she had the same last name as her she didn't go out of her way to point it out. She never walked with her to pick up her siblings if they all had to go to the garage for some reason. No way.

She walked to class thinking about what Carl had said about not being someone who she wasn't, she knew she hurt Judy's feelings. They were friends, she only talked to her when no one knew, she could help her fit in but she didn't. Judy was awkward and shy, she'd just got braces on her teeth and she ignored her in public. She saw her walking towards her, her head down on way to class. she'd been at high school a few months she was always alone, eating alone. sitting alone. Carl was right.

'Hi Judith,' Sophia said as she walked past, Judith's eyes lifted looking at her like she was going to pull a prank on her or something she looked around didn't say anything ducking her head and kept going. Sophia wasn't surprised she didn't say anything she hadn't spoken to her in ages. If her Ma and Dad found out she would be in trouble for treating a member of the family that way.

She heard a voice behind her greeting Judith, and her reply, she turned as she was walking, Carl Grimes stopped to speak to her for a second. That's twice in one morning she seen Carl speak to someone she wouldn't. She wondered where he come from, he was right beside the science lab. Sophia didn't have time to think the bell rang and people started running to class.

She only shared lunch break with Carl and last period English. She pushed her tray along the cafeteria picking out some lunch she looked around seeing a big group of her friends sitting at one end and she saw Judy sitting down the other end of the dinning hall sitting at a big table alone. She paid for her meal and gave a wee wave to her friends and went down and sat across from her cousin. She looked up at her with red rimed eyes.

'What do you want?' she asked Sophia, 'you here to pull a prank or tease me about my teeth or something?'

'No, I thought....................... I don't know, I thought I would keep you company,' Sophia told her.

'Fine,' she looked at her, 'I heard you stole the car, so now your grounded and trying to earn brownie points with my Dad for pretending to be nice to me,' 

'No, I................... I'm sorry Judith, I ................... shouldn't have ................. I should of been nicer,' Sophia finally admitted. 

'Hey campers,' Carl slid his tray in beside Judith, she gave him a beaming smile, he indicated to a geeky senior who had a geeky freshman in tow. He introduced them and explained they were helping him pass science. Judy and Sophia looked at them, Sophia had been through primary with one, his name was Patrick and the younger one was a science wizz he was Patrick's younger brother Oliver. 

Carl really gave no fucks who he sat with or talked too, some of the football players sat at the table and a couple of the junior band geeks who he invited over when he saw them wandering around with their trays looking for somewhere to sit. Sophia was suddenly in the busiest tables in the cafe and was enjoying a interesting conversation with Patrick about the homework assignment. He offered to help her with it he was helping Carl too.

'My Dad, he's got a home work room? Runs a homework program, do you want to come one day after school, not tonight, I have to do some stuff, check with him first,' Sophia asked him, she knew it would be fine she just didn't want him to know she was in the program, he would know if he showed up tonight and saw her filling in all the agreements. 

'Ok.............. ok, tomorrow,' Patrick said. 

The warning bells went and it was time to go back to class. Sophia found she really enjoyed herself that lunch time she started putting her tray away and felt someone grab her hand and it was Judith.

'Thanks Soph,' was all she said as she took off towards her locker, Sophia watched her leave and someone grabbed her arm. Carl stood there.

'See its not that hard not to be a bitch,' he told her, 'wait by your locker, we can walk together,'

'Can't have to pick up the kids,' she told him.

'Ok, wait by the gates at the school if I'm not there by ten past go,' he told her nodding walking backwards to his own locker to go to class, she nodded before running off to her own.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Carol and Andrea were sitting across from each other Carol, cracked her neck a little looking at her computor screen cross checking Andrea's work. She normally didn't have to but she was making simple mistakes since having the last baby. She laughed it off as baby brain, Carol could relate having had 4 babies under two at one stage, lack of sleep but wanting to try get out and hold down her job.

She couldn't help but giggle that she was putting in a order for 'Vibrating cock Rings,' She had to go out to the work shop and look around wondering what she could be ordering because last time she asked about something on an order Andrea cried. She saw Daryls legs sticking out from under a car and she bend down looking underneath to see if he could help. 

'Babe, do you need cock rings?' Carol called under the car he was working on, 'I mean not cock rings, vibrating cock rings...............  ?'

Daryl rolled out from under the car looking at her still crouched beside the car looking at her hard.

'I mean if you wanna?' he looked at her, 'Do I put them on my dick?'

'I meant vibrating rings?' Carol blushed she was as bad as Andrea, 'I'm checking the order it says vibrating rings? I don't think I've ever ordered those, I mean, Daryl someone putting an order through for vibrating cock rings in the order we normally put through to the order is it something? '

Daryl looked at her as if she was nuts, 'Vibrating cock rings?'

'Yes, are they a thing or not?' Carol stood up brushing off the dirt off her pants.

'Merle did you put a order in for Vibrating cock rings?' Daryl called across into the next bay, there was swearing as Merle come around the car looking at them.

'No what are they?' Merle asked, 'I put in an order in for compressor thing,' Merle told him, 'It vibrates, its a circle shape,'

'That could be the vibrating rings,' Daryl said.

'Oh..................... I did write beside it something..................... ' Merle didn't often get embarrassed it was clear to Carol he'd written something about it vibrating for Andrea's eyes only and her brain didn't process it and put the order through with Merle's note attached.

'Can I ask you to not to put sex toys on the business orders, Andrea's finding it hard enough as it is,' Carol warned him, 'Maybe you should take her out instead of to the bedroom or something,'

'Can't babies still on the boobies and no babysitter,' he stood there looking hopeful.

'I'll do it, or I'll send Sophia,' Carol told him, Merle  had a look and she looked at him, 'What?'

'Not Sophia,' Merle said, 'Girls are not getting on, Judy and Sophia's ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm look, girls hey,' Merle looked around seeing the time and the kids would be arriving soon, 'If you could come Carol, it would be great, we could go out for an hour or so,'

'Ok, you just ring me when the babies are down, or fed or when you need me,' Carol told him, she threw Daryl a look that meant she was going to throttle Sophia. She used to think of Judith like a sister and now she been not kind. She noticed Judith withdrawn around Sophia, generally playing with the younger kids. Sophia needed to smarten her act up before no one wanted anything to do with her.

Daryl stretched and looked at the time going off to wash his hands and clean up a little before the kids arrived, his 5 and Merle's 4 made it busy, then there were the kids coming at 4, he really enjoyed the last 1 1/2 hours in the day dealing with the kids who thrived on his attention, his own kids he wasn't that keen on the oldest one at the moment. He went through to his office through the baby gates and the double doors. Then the next baby gates to go through to the school rooms and offices. 

He picked up Merles youngest escaping down the hall crawling as fast as possible away from the office. They made the work place child friendly, and there were baby gates everywhere. Zac had moved into the flat upstairs from the garage, and he was a really big part of their team now. The lanky kid that used to run around with Beth Greene now could run the garage single handedly. 

He kissed the little boy and walked along hanging him upside down and little 8 month old Cody laughed his head off at his Uncle Daryl playing games with him, he put his head inside the office finding both Carol and Andrea looking at the computer screen.

'Missing anyone?' He asked them.

'Nope, you can keep him,' Andrea told him.

'I can for a few minutes,' Daryl carted him off down to his office and bounced him on his knee while he turned on his laptop and printed out some forms for Zac and Sophia to print out. He was cuddling into the little baby with one arm and fiddling around with his stuff on his desk. He gave him a big pen to hold onto so he didn't keep grabbing at things on the desk.

Daryl noticed the little guy was snuggling down a little in his arms looking at the time wondered if he should let him nap or not, Andrea might not be happy about him sleeping now. He buzzed the speaker phone through to their office.

'Is Cody allowed to nap?' he asked.

'Yes,' Come a reply. He turned him over his shoulder and patted his back and swung on the chair a bit and he was sound asleep quickly. He took him down to the nursery, turning on the monitor and turning it on to the offices, and the work shop. Since the twins were little they had it wired so they could have the nursery played through to every room in the building or the workshop.

He changed his diaper while he was asleep and tucked him into one of the cots in the room that had his name above it. Usually it was Merle or Andrea putting him down, sometimes it was Zac or Daryl or Carol, it helped having beds named so people knew. Daryl looked at the single bed in the room wondering if anyone would notice him missing for half an hour and he kicked off his boots and threw a sheet over the top of the bed and lay down for a much needed nap for the second time that day.


	9. Chapter 9

The Dixon clan and Carl Grimes come through the main doors of their building with a hiss and a roar, Carol wandered down to greet them. She sent them all off to wash their hands and went through to their commercial kitchen to get them afternoon tea out of the fridge. Sandwiches and an apple each, the sandwiches were made this morning and wrapped in the fridge when Andrea put some food together for the kids who did the program.

They discovered that a few of the kids were going hungry and put in a special licence to serve them food, put in a commercial kitchen and served dinner to around 15 teens a night between 5 and 5.30pm. Nothing fancy, mostly casseroles and pasta dishes, fresh fruit from the farm. Meat from the farm. Someone made up a few slow cookers of something in the morning so it would be ready after the program. 

Food kept some of them coming when they would long give up. Merle and Daryl helped with homework and they had a couple of computers and printers available for school work. Both had access to private numbers for teachers to ask for extensions and questions about assignments. The teachers worked with the program and they so far had had a 98% success rate for kids leaving school and getting jobs or going to college. 

There was two they couldn't turn around one was in jail doing time for robbery and the other fell into drugs and long since left the area. Daryl and Merle still visited once a moth the 19year old in jail promising him if he kept on the good side of the law they would help him go to night school to turn his life around some. He had another few months left. Carol wondered what the plan would be. 

He was one of the boys they had come to them too late, moved into the area already at risk in his finale few moths before turning 18. By the time they had him in the program he'd fallen into a bad crowd and went to court as an adult. Due to him only starting the program with Merle and Daryl he had no choice but to do his time and now he would come out they would try help him some more.

Carol measured out rice to put it in the rice cooker to go with the dinner. Carol looked around seeing all the kids moving around the big tables to eat, she noticed Judith keeping well away from Sophia and wedging herself in beside Charlie and Carl. It was on purpose she watched as the normally friendly girl kept her gaze away from her daughter, Carol sighed looking around wondering where Daryl had gone.

'Sophia, come down to Dad's office please,' Carol called out to her. She passed Rick who was coming through the door with Shane they were there so Rick could fill in Carl's permission forms for Carl's Mother who was away at work and then she would be at night school into the early hours of the evening.

Carol walked down the hall stopping at the nursery to check on Cody on her way past. She saw Daryl sleeping on his back with his mouth open in the little bed. She tapped him on his shoulder, his eyes flew open.

'Come on,' she told him, he stretched and pulled her down to his mouth to kiss her, she shook her head pointing to the monitor he'd turned on and the baby asleep in the bed, he rolled on his side nodding. Rolling out of the bed to the floor and moaning a little as he moved to his feet staggering along behind him towards is office. They found Sophia sitting in his chair swinging around and around waiting for them.

Daryl stretched and scratched his head. Carol pushed the door shut, he indicated she needed to move from his chair. He sat down and Carol sat on the couch in his room that they put in there as well as a lock on the inside of his office door. Daryl flicked over the papers on his desk and signed all the things he needed too. He spun it round for Sophia to read.

'Its an agreement between the garage, the program and you, it a contract and if you break the contract,' Daryl looked up at Sophia who wasn't listening, 'Sophia, if you break the contract which your ma and I are agreeing too we will pull in a counselor in and the law because you stole a car, the charges were dropped under the condition you would be entered into the program.' 

'So I have no choice you are forcing me into it?' Sophia asked.

'You made your choice by stealing the car,' Daryl told her.

'Fine,' Sophia looked at him, 'What do  have to do?'

'You have to get good grades,' Carol told her, 'You need to toe the line,'

'If you don't follow the rules Sophia you get thrown out then we,' he gestured to Carol and him, 'We will put you into a program with the community center,'

Sophia glared at them not believing they were doing this to her. treating her like the other teens who come through here and lost their way. She looked around the room knowing there was no way she was talking them out of it. 

'Will anyone else know?' Sophia asked

'Depends on if you do the program to the best of your ability,' Daryl leaned back on the chair, he caught Carol's eye, Sophia didn't know they couldn't or wouldn't tell anyone even if they asked. It was all on the forms they gave her, she didn't read them. 'Read the form before you sign them, life long lesson here Sophia, never sign anything that you don't understand or haven't read without getting an adult to look over it,' 

They left her sitting there looking at the form. Carol walked down the hall in front of Daryl and he goosed her on her arse that she jumped as she went past the door to the office, they went to find Carl Grimes and Rick to sort out his forms.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys had a bit of a headache, so many ideas floating around, warning Rhee's and 'How did this happen' are wrapping up shortly,' I'm working on them at the moment, if you have any ideas on endings you must see before I wrap it up you need to let me know via the comments. I should be able to work them in. Unless you want unicorns cos you can't have them.

'Everyone find a seat in the homework room,' Zac walked around the building gathering his waif's and strays who were doing the program, he was starting to take over more and more of the running of the program. Daryl and Merle were doing all the paper work, helping with homework, and dealing with issues that come up. They were still hands on but Zac's confidence had taken a huge hit lately. 

He'd been extremely unlucky in love lately and seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve and it usually got broken as he fell head over heels for the wrong type of girls. Even though Glenn, Merle and Daryl had tried to tell him time and time again that it wasn't him sometimes the package looks good on the outside, he needed to look into more depth than the package.

So now they were keeping him focused on building up his confidence. Gone was the wayward teen that they tried to keep on the straight and narrow through his teen years and out had come now confident man, even though at the moment he thought he would never get a girl ever. They told him the right one would come along he just had to be patient and relax, for now to help them out more with the running of the program.

In late 20's Daryl thought back and he not long met Carol when he was the same age and thought he would never find love or someone who could love him, now he was father to 5 kids, co running a garage and a teen program that some parents had moved into the area to get their kids into the Dixon program which had it high success rate. He gathered the group together and sent Sophia down to the office for 5 minutes. Daryl come into the room to listen to Zac deliver the speech.

'Ok look around you can see we have 4 new faces today, I want you all to introduce yourself over the next hour before dinner, and first its time for the talk,' Zac stood at the front of the class, the guys who had been members of the group knew the talk but Zac was about to deliver a new one.

'If you look around the group you will see a female, you shall remember this is a program to help you all succeed in life, your all here because you made mistakes. Everyone in this group is here because its court enforced, or parent enforced, what you choose to take out of the program it is up to you, but we expect every single one of you here at 4pm on the dot in this room waiting to start.' Zac had his speech sorted in his mind of where he chose to take it.

'Looking around the room you will notice we have a female in our group now, so its a timely reminder time about sexual harassment within the program. There shall be no flirting, date fixing, checking people out, I don't need to remind you of who her father is or who her uncle is. She is in the program parent  enforced just as some of you are. If I hear or see anything that would be deemed as harassment in a normal work place you will be put on the three strike warning and a visit to the office of Daryl and Merle Dixon for a reminder about how to talk to ladies, believe me you do not want to participate in this extra activity,' Zac told them, 'I am speaking from experience here, if you would not say it to the wives of Daryl or Merle do not I repeat do not let those words come out of your mouth.' Zac looked around the boys.

'I'm also aware that a few of you may or may not have girlfriends,' Zac swallowed this was the thing Merle and Daryl had passed onto them, the sex talk they covered every few months. 'Please remember to wrap your shit, if you are having mutual................. ' Zac floundered on his speech and glanced at Daryl who was leaning against the wall listening.

He kicked off the wall, they had it in their program they could talk about safe sex and answer questions, they also been given a huge supply of condoms to give out should anyone ask for them. The program with the support of the courts and other local programs wanted these kids to succeed not end up as teen fathers struggling for the rest of their lives, they had also access to free family planning clinics for them to go get checked out if there was any problems. 

So far he'd only had to take one kid with his girlfriend to the clinic for Morning after pill. Dropping them at the door, Carol didn't know how she would feel about someone else taking their kids to the clinic, it was one of their few arguments. Daryl's defense was that if they didn't take them, the kids wouldn't have gone and they could possibly gotten pregnant. The girl not being from a good family, that was 4 years ago, the same two kids were now 21 and at college both doing well and succeeding. Carol didn't like it but she could see that sometimes the teens just couldn't talk to their parents about this stuff.

'Ok, wrap your shit, that mean's wrap your dick,' Daryl walked out and stood beside Zac, 'If you don't have anything do not do anything, if you can't buy or have or afford anything come to someone here we will give you something, I'm not just handing that shit out willie nillie, you will get the information that comes with us handing it out. We want you all to succeed go to college, get a job, do well, we don't want to see you struggling with kids as a teen,' 

'So thats the talk, any questions can go to Me or Merle or Zac, if you have any questions that may need a womens touch, check with Carol or Andrea in the office,' Daryl told them, he looked over his shoulder as Sophia shuffled into the room. 'Remember if your in the training bay, overall's and boots and check your eye wear should you need it,' 

'Ok, who needs help with homework? Who has time to come do an oil change, I'm only taking 3?' Zac asked.

Sophia come up behind her Dad and tapped  his shoulder, Daryl turned around her face was still flaming from getting the sex ed and sexual harassment talk from Andrea in the office. 

'There's a boy,' Sophia began, she watched as her Dad's face clouded over and she looked over at Carl,  she cleared her voice again, 'There's a boy at school, he's a bit of a geek, we ummmmmmmmmm Carl and I were wondering if we could invite him  here tomorrow to help us with some science homework, he's the best in the school?'

'You want him to come here, do homework with you?' Daryl wondered what the catch was, 'What? why?

'Just ................. I'm trying to be nice, and I need the help,' Sophia whispered.

'Fine, he can come, but he has to get his parents permission, get her to ring the office tomorrow,' Daryl told her, 'If you want to be nice, try being nice to Judy, she doesn't need your nonsense,'

Sophia nodded and wandered over to an empty desk flipping over her homework book. Judith come in with her homework and slid into a seat beside Carl doing her homework barely saying a word. She only smiled when Daryl sat down beside her to help her with some work she was stuck on. He made sure he gave her his full attention for a while, she seemed really down and lost. His own kids were in the play room, their homework was mainly spelling and reading which didn't take long, and they could do it in the play room. Merle was right there was something going on between Sophia and Judith. Seeing she chose to sit by Carl instead of her cousin. 

 


	11. Chapter 11

'Have you seen Dylan today?' Merle stuck his head into the homework room to ask Daryl.

'No,' Daryl looked up from helping Judith with  her homework, 'He not ring or anything?'

'No, its not like him,' Merle said.

Dylan had been with them for 4 years, they had helped him turn his life around and emancipated minor. Even when he was no longer allowed to officially do the program they still let him come, employing him as a hand, paying him, getting him to work in the garage. He supported himself. He showed up every day to work, or do homework to finish his year. Now he was part time at college and part time working.

'Ring him,' Daryl suggested looking over at his brother, both of them were worried he never missed a day. 

'Nah he'll be right, Judy we going to head off in half an hour, Uncle D's turn to close up ok,' he told Judith, she nodded closing up her books, putting them in her bag.

'Finished now, can I come with you?' she turned and gave Daryl a quick hug moving quick to go to  her Dad and follow him out of the room. They heard the soft cries of Cody coming over the baby monitor, they headed over to the nursery to pick up him up. 

Daryl looked around, 'Anyone need help?'

No one raised their hand or asked for help so he went from table to table to check where everyone was at. He wasn't sure on most things, math's always stumped him Carol was happy to help with big issues, mostly they just thrived on someone being interested. They wanted their papers up on the wall of fame and some one on one with one of the adults working in the garage. Most of the teens just wanted someone to be interested in them. 

Carol come to the door and stuck her head in indicating him to come out, he followed her into the hall.

'What?' He asked.

'Maggie, .................. Glenn just rang,' Carol just told him, the look on her face, 'Maggie is at the hospital,'

'Baby?' he asked her, she shook her head. Daryl leaned in to give her a hug. 'Should I go?'

No, they don't want to see anyone,' Carol told him, 'They just want to be alone, they don't want to see anyone, and they don't want to see us,'

'Why?' Daryl asked.

'Probably because we have five kids and they have none,' Carol whispered. She had tears falling, Daryl knew she just wanted to go see their friends and comfort her. He knew Maggie wouldn't want to see anyone, probably only seeing Tara who had no children. 

'I'm going to ring him,' Daryl nodded, pulling out his phone walking down the hall. Glenn was like a brother to Daryl and he knew for how long they been trying for a baby of  their own and it never seemed to happen. 

Twenty minutes later he come back looking a bit sad on it, moving around the kitchen helping Carol serve dinner to the teens and their own pack of children who were milling around complaining they were hungry. Carol let them all serve themselves and pour their own drinks, she took one of the containers one of the boys brought and filled it to the top with rice and casserole so he could take it home and feed his little sister and mother. When they realized this teen had been putting his meal in a plastic bag to take home to share they gave him food to take home every time he come.

Charlie come behind Daryl and was showing him some bugs he found on the way home from school.  Daryl looked into the jar at the spiders and worms.

'They are lovely, you know where they would love to be?' Daryl asked him, 'Out side, come on, you know the rules,'

 'Don't put animal's in jars?' Charlie questioned, 'but they like it in the jar,'

'Dad says you can't put them in the jar,' his twin told him, they both went with Daryl outside to let the bugs go. Cameron didn't like the bugs but she liked it when their Dad did stuff with them even if it was letting bugs go.

Daryl stood back and watched his youngest two letting a jar of bugs go in the grass near the back of the park of the garage. They all stood back watching them run away. Daryl could hear a baby crying and he flipped his head around, he saw Dylan coming in the back gate with a bundle in his arms, Daryl sent his kids back inside walking across the car park to Dylan.

'What?' Daryl looked confused, Dylan looked a mess, like he had been crying. He looked at the baby in his arms and took the tiny baby who couldn't be more than a week old. 'What? Who's?' He rocked a little to try stop the baby from crying, 'Its hungry,'

Dylan tried to speak digging around in his bag he was carrying, it was capped and had lids on it, 'Its the last one, I don't have any money to buy more milk,' He uncapped the bottle and handed it to Daryl.

Daryl took the he bottle and popped it in the babies mouth, the baby sucked hard on the bottle, Dylan looked at Daryl. 

'He's mine,' He told Daryl, 'His Ma dropped him off last night with theses papers saying she didn't want him,'

Daryl looked around the carpark holding a newborn who was drinking its bottle, 'Ok, ok, my back pocket is my wallet, go to the store buy some formula, what ever you need, diapers,'

'She gave me a note with formula,' he looked at Daryl, 'I don't know what I'm doing, I didn't want a baby,'

'Well you got one, how the hell did this happen, didn't think you were even with anyone,' Daryl asked him, Dylan opened Daryl's wallet and took out some cash he always carried cash, 'Go get the formula, do you have a car seat?'

Dylan nodded, 'Met at a party, we were not together I didn't know till last night, she said she was going to put him up for adoption, she signed the papers, then left him with me so I could make the choice too if I wanted him. He doesn't even have a name yet,'

Daryl couldn't believe what he was telling him. He just shook his head, knowing this guy was just coming into his own, there was no way he could be a single father. Daryl just didn't think he could cope with it. The only thing he could think of was to take them both back to the farm and help him.

'Go pack some shit you need and get your diaper bag and come out to the farm, now run to the store get two tins before it closes,' Daryl told him.

Dylan nodded and took off like only a teenager could, running to the store before it closed at 6pm, Daryl looked at the baby in his arms wandering back through the garage to go see Carol. Everything was cleared and wiped down, the other teens were gone.  Carol was moving around locking up and shutting things down when she stared at him holding a baby who still had a bottle in his mouth. Daryl still had 100's of questions for Dylan, Carol probably had more. He couldn't believe someone just dumped a baby onto someone else like that.

'Yours? You been hanging round the cabbage patch?' she questioned him and quickly come over to take a baby from him. She looked at her with big questions and he filled her in with the news of Dylan and this baby.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Carol sat in the rocking chair rocking the tiny baby after having given him a bottle, having the time to cuddle and snuggle a single newborn hadn't been something she had been able to do since she had Sophia all those years ago. He smelt devine, and had just been given a bath, she wasn't sure if he'd been bathed at all. Dylan said  he'd barely been able to change his bottom and really didn't know what to do except pug a bottle in his mouth. 

Dylan told them he had been awake all night holding him because he kept crying, he didn't know what to do, except try to give the tiny baby milk and change his diapers. He didn't do too badly for a 18year old teen boy but Carol had concerns about him raising a baby alone. She didn't think  he would cope doing it alone if he chose to keep the baby. Carol sighed and kept rocking on the chair listening to her husband and Merle talk.

Daryl and Merle were sitting at the dinning room table having a heart to heart talk with Dylan about the baby. Merle had brought up a bassinet to put the baby in and some new born clothes they still had from Cody.

Merle looked like he wanted to throttle the teenager, not only had he ruined his night out with Andrea they were trying to not pressure him into doing anything rash. 

'Fuck I don't know Dylan,' Merle swung back on his chair legs, Carol had sent everyone to bed including Sophia who was eager tp earwig on what was going on, Daryl had already threatened her with another 6 months of being on the program if she blabbed Dylan's news around school before he decided what he was going to do. He'd told Sophia that if she told anyone it would be pretty hard to forgive considering it was such a delicate matter at this stage.

Carol  had also followed her up the stairs to talk with her about how the program run a confidentiality clause. Even though Dylan was no longer with the program he was an employee of the garage and she needed to respect them. Not to spread gossip that was not hers to tell, if anyone asked her she was to play dumb and pretend she didn't know what they were even talking about or what they were talking about.

Sophia with the threat of having to do the rest of the year with the program and her weekends sewed up tight agreed to it. She had flopped onto her side and looked at the baby her mother was holding. Carol told her it wasn't the babies fault that this was what was happening so until Dylan decided what he was going to do Sophia should respect him as their house guest and try and be helpful rather than behaving like a spoilt brat like she had been.

The two sets of twins had wanted nothing more of explanations than wanting to cuddle and watch the baby being bathed. They wanted to name him and were offering all types of suggestions to Dylan, who had no idea what the baby could be called or should he even name him. What if he named him then put him up for adoption. 

Carol rocked some more listening to Merle ask Dylan why he hadn't wrapped his shit up. Carol bit her lip wondering how many babies Merle might even have had out there from his youth. He been around the block a few times when they all met. He'd turned his life around and was big on the family man style of things but he had sewed his share of wild oaks.

'I can't keep him, I can't even afford formula to feed  him, diapers, clothes,' Dylan stated looking at both men, 'Had to come asking for hand outs only had him 18 hours,'

'Too late now,' Daryl gave Merle a look, 'Look don't worry about money we can sort it out, can't we Carol?'

'Yes, Daryl has money hidden all over the farm just go on a treasure hunt,' Carol call out softly. 'Don't worry about money, we can afford to look after another two,'

They could, Carol and Daryl had a quick conversation in their bedroom away from everyone, Carol put it out there they could do up the loft it was half done already, they could live in there, he could keep going to college, work, they could help out with the baby, one more baby growing up at the garage wasn't going to be a problem than all the other babies that had been brought up there. She reminded Daryl that she had nothing when they met but a bug infested house that she and Andrea brought.

Daryl spent the next few hours watching his wife cluck over the new born, he wondered what or how she was going to feel if he was put up for adoption or something. The baby was pretty cute now it had been bathed and dressed. He didn't know what the deal had been before the baby showed up on Dylan's doorstep.

'See we got you fixed for money hell you can even stay here, there is half a converted loft above the garage,' Daryl said, 'We can help you if you want to but you need to decide,'

'Stay?' Dylan looked surprised, 'I'll give up school, work,'

'No, college is important, you need to make something of yourself,' Merle told him, 'No matter what you don't give up college, we can sort this out, help you out, if you wanna be a dad, or...............'

'Or, I give him away?' Dylan asked.

'Or you give him to someone desperate for a baby who will love him forever,' Carol called out, Daryl glanced across at her, she already had him tight in her clutches, he was willing to bet his left nut she would put it out there she wanted to keep him. He bit out a half groan already thinking about how the sleepless nights bit into his sex life, not that he was only driven by sex, but they did sometimes go for months without sex.

'There are people out there who want babies who have been trying for babies,' Daryl told him, 'People like Glenn and Maggie have been trying for years to have one,'

'Or you can keep him,' Carol told him, 'Sleep on it, you don't have to decide straight away,'

Dylan sat there nodding listening, Carol moved off the chair indicating to Dylan to swap with her and sit and hold the baby for a while.


	13. Chapter 13

Daryl rolled over in bed, and reached around the bed to pull Carol towards him. Moving into her side, starting to kiss her.

'Stop, stop,' Carol told him. 'Baby in arms.'

Daryl groaned and rolled onto his back looking at the ceiling. He remembered looking around his bedroom seeing the bassinet beside Carol's side of the bed, he rolled back towards  her looking at the tiny baby she was feeding in her arms. It had been a long time since he'd woken up and been cock blocked by a baby in the bed. Good job the baby was cute drinking down a bottle.

'Don't go getting attached to that baby,' he warned her, 'He might not be keeping him,'

'Yeah but,' she looked at him, 'Its too late, I think I love him already, and his little feet, look at these tiny socks,'

Daryl moaned and groaned around, they decided last night to take the baby with them. Dylan was over tired and Carol decided him being up and down all night with a new born wouldn't help him make a good decision. Daryl hadn't been keen on  having the baby but didn't voice his views.

They had discussed briefly the implications of having Dylan and his baby move in with them. They were going to ask Glenn to come up and look over all the paper work Dylan was given with the baby. Glenn practiced family law so they hoped everything was in the right order. That someone didn't just drop him a baby. Daryl touched on the fact that how did they know the baby was even his.\

Daryl had been given a glare by Carol when he suggested it. It was a big pile of mess that they needed to help him sort it out. He reached out and shook a little foot.

'He been good?' he asked Carol

'Well you snored through the night, but he wasn't too bad, he likes cuddles and being held,' Carol told him, 'and he has the sweetest little nose,'

'No, no, no, don't look at his nose,' Daryl told her, 'Give him here, go shower and think about............................... making me a sandwich,'

Carol tapped his nose, 'Don't you go looking at his feet then or how big his hands are for holding tools,'

'I not going to look at him, I'm going to lie here with my eyes shut,' He took the baby and with Daddy reflexes couldn't stop himself, bringing  him in for a kiss. 'Fuck,'

'Don't swear in front of the baby,' Carol rolled out of the bed and stretched heading into the bathroom for her shower, she looked over her shoulder seeing Daryl balancing the baby on his lap checking him out. Looking at his feet and hands, and tapping him gently on his little nose, then she stopped watching because she knew he was going to kiss him again. Too late they were falling in love with the baby.

By the time Carol come out of the shower both the baby and Daryl were gone from the bed. She imagined he had the breakfast summons from Charlie who still liked someone to help him with his breakfast. Carol thought it was so he had one on one with a parent. That boy was far too smart for his own good. Getting around them. The girls were independent wanting to make their own stuff. Charlie would go to school in in PJ pants if they didn't' coax him into his clothes each morning.

Thats where Carol found them in Charlies room, Daryl had the baby in one arm going through his dresser holding up different tee shirts one at a time. Charlie was in his underpants not listening and talking about spiders. Daryl looked frustrated, the baby looked like it was trying to bring wind up.

'Fine go in your undies and everyone will laugh,' Daryl tossed a tee shirt and shorts to him, he tossed a pair of shoes on the bed beside him. 'Get dressed,'

 They went downstairs to sort the other three out. Sophia had to their surprise gone out to feed the animals before school. When she come back inside she stopped to look at the baby.

'I'm not going to tell,' She told them, 'I know why you don't want me to tell, you want Dylan to make the choice for him and not be pressured by everyone telling him what to do,'

Daryl nodded, he handed her the baby to hold and dropped a kiss on her head, 'My little girls' growing up,' he told her.

'But whats going to happen now?' Sophia asked. Reality was Dylan wasn't much older than her 13 months and he now had a baby. 'Does he have a name yet?'

'No, Uncle Glenn will check all the paper work then what ever Dylan wants we support him ok,' Carol told her. Sophia nodded handing Carol the baby so she could go shower and change for school.

Carol had the day off, they would wake Dylan soon, Daryl would take him to catch the bus to go to college which was in the next town. Carol had already texted Glenn to tell him they needed him to come over to discuss a issue they had with one of their kids, and he would be there within the next half an hour. Tara was staying with them and would stay with Maggie while he come down to the farm to sort out what ever their problem was.


	14. Chapter 14

Glenn walked into the house greeted by Daryl who was trying to burp the baby and Carol had sent Dylan off for a quick shower, Sophia had agreed to take the kids to school in the family truck on the condition she was responsible with everyone in the car. They were pleased she was being helpful so they could deal with Dylan.  Dylan himself, he had to be on his way to college and Daryl was going to take him right there without making him catch the bus today. 

'A baby,' Glenn looked at the bundle in his arms, 'That's not why I'm here you didn't steal one?'

'Nah come in, Dylan's baby,' Daryl quickly filled him in on the past 24 hours. Carol made them coffee and the three sat around the table. They talked, Daryl handed over the paperwork Dylan had been given. Daryl come from the shower clean with clean clothes on, clean because Carol had put all his stuff through the washer and dryer overnight.

'Congratulations,' Glenn told him.

Dylan nodded and sat down. 'So whats do I do?'

'Well first, you need to give this baby a name,' Glenn told him. 'The paper work looks all right but we need to file his name then you need to decide, if you can do it or if you want to give him up,'

'I don't know, I like him but ................. I don't think I can,' Dylan looked at the baby who Carol was rocking, 'I don't think I can, I barely keeping myself together, or feed myself. I know Daryl and Carol said they will help but I'm only just turned 18,'

Glenn nodded, 'You don't need to decide now, take time, also, you can choose who he goes too,' 

'So he doesn't just go somewhere? I thought they would just take him away,' Dylan asked, he really didn't know what was going to happen if he gave him up.

'No you get to choose, you look at files of people who have been trying to adopt a baby,' Glenn told him.

'Ok, I don't need to decide today?' Dylan asked.

'No, carry on your day, and take time, because you need to make the right choice,' Glenn told him. 'So do we have a name for the little guy?'

Dylan held his hands up in the air, 'I don't know,'

'Actually, I can't do this,' Glenn told him, 'I might have a conflict of interest if you put him up for adoption,'

Carol eyes drifted across Daryl's towards Glenn's, Dylan looked confused.

'We have a profile in the area for any babies going up for adoption, ours maybe in the set of profiles you get given to choose from if you want to give him up,' Glenn leaned back on the chair, he saw the others looking at him. 'What?'

Daryl just looked at him and shrugged, 'Kept that a secret,'

'Maggie, took a lot for her to think about it, but there isn't many babies about, and we didn't know if we would ever be considered,' Glenn looked around the table, 'Did you know I'm Asian?'

'No Way!' Daryl  bit his lip, 'Did they tell you eventually? We were trying to keep it a secret,'

'Not really, some people don't want mixed marriages having babies,' Glenn told them.

'I've got a 17 year old you can have,' Carol told him. 'We probably could find you a 18 year old too,'

'No,  no a 5 year old or 10 year old no teens yet,' Glenn told them.

'So I could choose you and Maggie?' Dylan asked, 'Then I could get to see him?'

'You could choose Daryl and Carol, if they wanted to have another baby,' Glenn told him, 'But you need to decide for you, what you want not what I want or Daryl wants.  What you want. You have to make a decision based on you and your feelings about the little guy,'

'Giving up a baby isn't going to be an easy throw away choice Dylan, especially since you didn't know or have had time to process everything,' Glenn told him, 'But I'm going to bail out now, I don't want my views on adoption to influence you,  I'm going to send Tara up to see you tonight,' 

Daryl followed Glenn out to his car to ask about Maggie, Carol was showing Dylan how to dress him in a new outfit and how to fix a diaper bag with things the baby would need for the day. She showed him how a bottle bag worked to keep pre mixed bottles cool and suggested he just took bottles with boiled water in it and a can of formula with it instead. Due to him being so little they had no idea how much or often he needed to be fed, she told him to let him guide him with his needs.

'You don't need to go Dylan, you can stay,' Carol told him, she knew this would take a great deal out of him if he did put him up for adoption, it would take Dylan time to move on from giving the baby away. 'You can move in here, we still can convert the loft above the garage and you can live with us until you .................... well I guess until you don't want to any more,'

Carol finished buttoning up the baby, Dylan filled the diaper bag and put the bottles in. He helped Carol get him into the car seat so they could take him to the garage for the day. Carol had dug out one of her baby slings, Andrea had the other one, but they kept one at the farm just in case. She knew she would be carrying this baby today for a long time. He looked a little lost like he just needed to be held.

'Dylan we need to name him,' Carol told him.

'Jasper?' Dylan asked.

Carol looked at him, 'Its your baby,'

'I like it, it was my Granddads last name, is it ok?' Dylan asked her.

'Its perfect, sounds great,' Carol told him. 'How are you feeling about everything?'

'I think, I think............................ he's cute, and I love him already, but..................' he shrugged. 'I might look at the profiles, but I already chose, if I give him up, can I tell them I already chose?'

'You can tell them what ever you like but I want you to think about it today, also I want you to take a couple of days,' Carol told him, they had everything packed for him, they went outside to Daryl truck and buckled him in. Daryl come out of the barn.

'We have a name,' Carol announced, 'Jasper!'

Daryl gave them a nod, 'Sounds good, now lets get Jaspers Daddy to college,'

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a while since Carol had heaved a diaper bag in through the work shop and a sleeping baby in a carseat. Merle come across to give her a hand with the bottles and things that were still in the car. She had forgotten you needed a travelling circus with a baby. Even though she had two sets of twins she found going back to a new born something of a challenge to get it all done.

'Do we have a name?' Merle asked.

'Yeah, Jasper,' Carol told him, she could tell he was trying to figure out if he liked it or not.

'Glenn come?' he asked.

'Yes he moved it onto Tara though just in case he does put him up for adoption. Maggie and Glenn have a portfolio in,' Carol told him.

'Right, did you know that?' he asked.

'I know nothing about anything, what he's going to do or if he's going to try or if he's going to give him up.' Carol told him, 'We told him he can stay with us regardless of what he chooses he clearly needs help with dealing with stuff.'

'Sounds good,' Merle said.

Carol stopped and looked at Merle, 'So Sophia? What's she doing to Judith?'

Merle kept walking through to the kitchen with the baby bag Carol following him through. Andrea hadn't arrived yet so Merle looked a little worried about saying something.

'Its not what she's done, but what she hasn't done,' Merle told her, 'Ignoring Judy, when someone asked her if she was her cousin she denied it right in front of  Judith,'

'I don't know what is going on with that girl,' Carol was embarrassed Sophia had been really mean to their own girls and only being kind to Charlie so she could imagine how she had been with Judith at school now they were in the same school. 'Half the reason we have her in the program is because she's going off the rails,'

'Can't suggest anything, we just don't want Judy getting  her feelings hurt anymore and locking herself in her room after school and ducking her head none when she sees Sophia in the halls at school,' Merle told her, 'She ain't done nothing to Sophia for her to duck her head, I've held my tongue till now but if I see it with my own eyes I'm going to give that niece of mine a big talking too,'

'Maybe that's what needs to happen, she's not listening to us, she took the car,' Carol was frustrated, Sophia had everything any child could ever want and she was behaving terribly, they had kids in the program with nothing and wanted to do well and Sophia.................... Sophia was heading down the path towards being court appointed to be put on the program had they not put her in it themselves.

'I don't want my kids growing up thinking they arn't good enough, especially by someone who's supposed to ..........' Merle watched Carol taking the baby out of the car seat, patting his back to try sooth him a little, Merle moved about heating up the bottle for them to feed him, 'You know, someone who's supposed to have her back regardless of if she has braces or glasses or a gammy limp leg,'

Carol took the bottle from Merle and sat on the nice soft feeding chair to sit and feed the baby, Merle stood watching for a minute, Carol hadn't said anything she just sat on the feeding chair rocking. Merle began to worry because she took so long to answer him he worried he over stepped the mark talking about Sophia.

'She doesn't have a gammy leg. Do you think....................... its because............. you know?' Carol whispered to him, 'Because of Ed, she's his daughter?'

Her face blushed bright red and she had been thinking about it for a while now, she hadn't brought it up with Daryl at all. Merle thought she was joking for a moment and then saw her face, he looked around to make sure no one was listening. He pulled a chair over to where Carol was sitting and sighed.

'She's Daryl's daughter, and my father was the biggest arsehole you ever want to meet, you know that................. we turned out alright, well Daryl did,' Merle told  her, 'I lost my way a lot, Daryl didn't he had it worse than I did, he a good egg, Sophia's a good egg, she's just a teenage girl and from what we know about teenagers are they are brats,'

'That's different, though you both wanted to be good,' Carol said, 'Sophia..................... she doesn't seem to care,'

'Well give her something to care about,' Merle suggested.

'What?' Carol finished feeding Jasper his bottle, rubbing his back rocking a little to try burp him then put him in the bed, he was going to go into the carry cot pram and be moved around from office to office with her and Andrea today. She needed him to go to sleep soon so she could prepare dinner for 30 again tonight. She was planning on making soup and roast beef with veggies.

'Well, you could just go home clear her room out and leave her with a mattress on the floor if she causes any more problems,' Merle suggested, 'Make her earn it back.'

'Daryl suggested that, I said no, but now hearing how mean she's been to Judith,' Carol rocked some more and the baby was out, sound asleep over her shoulder, Merle brought the pram over and took the baby and tucked him into the pram. 'I think its time to play hardball if she does,'

'Sounds good, now I have to go earn some money, when's Daryl back?' he asked Carol.

'Shortly, he's just dropping off Dylan,' Carol told him, he nodded and went to leave and turned back.

'You want me to help with the prep?' he asked.

'No, its all pre done, I just need to put stuff through the processor and sort out the roast,' she told him, he nodded, he knew Andrea wouldn't be far away, and worse case was they pulled out frozen vegetables. She moved about rocking the pram and checking the baby, Daryl come through pulling on overalls as he come into the kitchen, he stopped to kiss Carol and look at the baby.

'You need to come to my office later,' he told her.

'What for?' She looked up from the processor, he gave her a wink, 'Geeze Daryl you always thinking about that,'

'Well this little guy cut me off this morning, so thought we could make up for it,' he told her.

'Maybe, you need to shower first though, last time I had a grease mark on my butt for a few days because of your shirt,' Carol told him.

'That won't be suspicious at all, me going back to work as clean as after lunch,' Daryl kissed her again then rubbed the baby's head and whistled as he headed back to the workshop.

 

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

Sophia was heading through the halls to her next class when Carl Grimes fell into step beside her. She glanced his way and could see his tats poking out from under the tee shirt he was wearing, she wondered if he was going to get in trouble today for having them showing at school but then Carl looked like he really didn't care if they saw them or whatever. He wasn't causing any trouble anywhere. He couldn't wear a monk suit he was told to cover them the best he could which he did with wrist bands and there was no way he could cover it all while he was wearing a tee shirt.

'Sooooooo word on the street is Dylan got a chick knocked up now has a baby and is living with you guys?' He asked her, Sophia looked at him. He walked ahead of her turning around and walking backwards so he could see what she was going to say. People were looking at them talking and whispering what were they doing together. For so long Sophia had denied even knowing Carl and Judith it was odd for people to actually see them together being friendly.

'I don't know, who told you that?' Sophia asked.

'Someone saw your Dad and Dylan with a baby, someone else saw your Ma carrying a baby into the Dixon program building, also, someone else saw your Dad drop Dylan off at School,' He told her. He had put one and one together and come up with a story. It all kinda made sense because who else did the baby belong to.

'How, all different people told you that and you put together he had a baby?' Sophia asked. Carl stopped walking so she had no choice but to stop and answer him.

'Does he?' he asked her.

'I don't know anything about anything,' Sophia told him she moved past him and walked off down the hall to her class. Carl watched her go, he knew all about Dylan's baby, it was buzzing around school he was impressed at Sophia not blabbing what she knew about it. 

'Meet me for lunch,' he called after her.

'Lets see shall we?'

************************************************************************************* 

Carol wandered up and down the hallway outside her office trying to settle Jasper, he was fed and changed, she forgot what it was like to just have so much time wrapped up in a baby. Good job he was a cute baby. She was on her 5th treck around the building when she heard the phone ringing and Andrea answering it taking calls that Carol should be taking. She had already rung the school to take the week off while they dealt with Dylan.

Carol tucked Jasper into his bed with a kiss, she spotted a freshly showered Daryl heading through to his office without looking her way, she pushed the pram into the office with Andrea and said nothing, just pushing him close to her side of the desk. Her little boy was nursing at her breast while she was on the phone, she nodded to Carol and to the caller on the phone as Carol quickly left the office to go have lunch with her husband.

She had to smile when she went into his office he already had his shirt off and a blanket on the floor. He was trying to make his office romantic and he pulled the curtains and had a little lamp on. He had his jean's hanging low that she could see the top of his underwear and those creases down his sides, the patch of hair across his lower stomach. It drove her wild and her eyes kept drifting to it.

He also had a pack of cards and some lunch spread out for them. It looked like he had made them sandwiches from the kitchen and coffee. She kicked off her boots and locked the office door and knelt down on the rug facing him taking a sandwich from the plate and bit down on it.

'Hi, your being a little bit cute,' she told him.

'I'm trying,' he had a little look on his face,  'You gotta take your shirt off too,'

'Cards? Are we playing poker?' Carol asked him. 

'Something like that, now take your shirt off, and we can play cards and eat.' Daryl told her, 'Plus we got 5 kids, we don't get a lot of time to do this sort of stuff,'

Carol pulled her shirt off and watched him staring at her in her bra and was sitting there in in her jean's and bare feet. He dealt out cards to each of them passing her her cards, Carol didn't even look at them. She finished her sandwich took a drink then turned her cards over.

'Makes a change from playing 'go fish',' she gave him a little grin and leaned over to plant a kiss on him.

'No kissing, poker, for clothes,' he told her. She laughed knowing last time they locked the doors in his office for lunch they played Jenga and she ended up on his lap on his office chair, today it looked like he was going to play poker.

'So what do we bet?' she asked.

'No betting if you lose you lose your bra,' he told her.

'Its not fair I've only got three items of clothes on,' she told him.

'I've only got two, its going to be a short game. I don't want you accusing me of only wanting to have sex all the time,' Daryl told her, 'Come on, I'll even throw in .............. ummmmm I'll bet.................. one breakfast in bed including oral,' 

She looked at him he had a sly little grin on his face. Carol shook her head.

'Ok, I'll bet................. one blow job........... under your desk .............. with the door open,' Carol teased him, Carol knew she peeked his interest. Then the game began, both of them were betting to win.

 


	17. Chapter 17

Carol left Daryl's office with a little grin on her face, wandering down the hall leaving Daryl to answer the phone call that had come through. She run into Merle who was carrying a large box of Condoms. Not just a large box a big brown box containing all the condoms they had on site.  She looked in the box and did a quick count 24 boxes of 12.

'Planning on being busy this lunch time?' she asked him, he shook his head.

'Been talking to the powers to be and we are now giving out condoms before the kids need them, no more of this baby lark,' Merle told  her, 'I mean, if they had condoms before they needed them we could try stop the surprise baby outbreaks,'

'Seriously, won't we be just giving them permission to have sex?' Carol asked.

'They going to have sex even if we tell them not to,' Merle told her, Carol didn't know if they should or not, Merle and Daryl were running this program not her, they were dealing with all the paper work and had all t he qualifications they needed to prove it. They run the best program for keeping kids out of jail in the state. 

'No, I don't even want to think about it,' she walked on to her office she shared with Andrea to check on the baby who was still sleeping. They had about 2 more hours until their kids arrived then 3 hours till the program started.

She checked the baby who was sleeping really well. Andrea was eating at her desk looking at Carol when she come into the room.

'Some lunch, your buttons are all misaligned,' She smiled, she nodded knowing what Daryl and Carol had been up to in their office, hell her and Merle locked themselves into his office sometimes. The best thing about the building attached to the garage was the guys had their own offices to deal with any social work stuff, or anything they wanted really. Both of them tended to use them for lunch time sex sometimes too. 

They added showers and a laundry to the building, upstairs was a huge loft space they hadn't really thought about yet, Carol and Andrea had been tossing around ideas for little units like the one Zac was in above the garage. There was a way they could have access for them from outside the building. She was thinking that they would find uses for them even for anyone leaving their husbands or the kids needing somewhere to go once they were 18.

They in the past had  had whole families come to stay for a few days but it would make it easier to have somewhat a safe house or place for people to stay. Andrea had been dealing with local builders to work out the cost of it all so that they could present it to their husbands as a great way to spend some of their money. Andrea also teased that Carol and her could use it as a girls night get away, to get away for their own kids and husbands when they were being annoying. Carol nodded, she rarely went out anywhere that didn't involve the children or some whim Daryl had thought up.

4pm rolled around and all the teens on the program wondered why they were shoved into the class room, they looked worried to see both Merle and Daryl there. They both didn't normally show up unless there was trouble or they were going to get an awkward talk. Made even more awkward due to the face that Daryl was pacing feeding Jasper a bottle. Carol had gone to pick up Dylan from college to bring him back to the work shop. He normally caught the bus but they were cutting him a little slack.

'This is Jasper, this is what happens when you don't use a condom,' Merle was giving the sex speech Daryl didn't want to because Sophia was going to be sitting there, 'We are now going to be handing out condoms so we don't see any more of these's coming through the program, should you choose to have sex please remember safe sex,'

'Who's baby is it?' one of the guys asked.

'Dylan's baby now he has to make some tough decisions, we don't want anyone asking him about it, remember if you are on the program and you talk about this sort of stuff at school, your out, if your court ordered that could mean juvenile detention or something,'

Some of the teens didn't have a choice to be there, it was be here or go to juvenile detention, most wanted to stay on the program.

'Dylan doesn't need your teasing or arsehole comments, please be supportive and thoughtful he's going through a tough time right now. If I see or hear any of you being dick's about it your in the office,' Daryl added.

Merle went around the room dropping boxes of condoms in front of every teen in the room, he paused in front of Sophia then took a breath and dropped a box in front of her, her face flamed as she grabbed it and shoved it in her school bag knowing her father was watching her.

 

'I suggest you practice putting one on,' Merle added, then he bailed out of the room leaving Daryl to deal with the gossip that flowed around the room. Everyone wanted to know about Jasper and the mother and what Dylan was going to do, Daryl told them he didn't know, he passed the baby around so they could all see him, then had them all start their school work.

Sophia bolted from her seat down to see her mother, no doubt to complain they had embarrassed her. Daryl let her go, the door for the building buzzed and he went down seeing a socially awkward teen boy standing there looking at the ground whispering he was here to see Sophia about home work. Patrick he finally told Daryl when he asked about his name, he took him through and sat him with Carl who greeted him well while Daryl went off to find Sophia.

 

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

What Daryl didn't know was Carol actually left a hour early to go to get a bikini wax, Andrea had booked her in a few weeks back and Carol had forgotten until she reminded her to go have a quick cool shower and go get  her girlie bits taken care of.

It been a while since she had even stepped foot in the beauty salon to do anything like this and she ended up getting a landing strip down the middle just to taunt  her husband the next time he went in that general area, she would let him discover it herself before she told him that she had it done.

She picked up Dylan he was standing on the corner waiting for her to come. He was standing talking to a girl Carol groaned about it. They appeared to be more than friend and she was holding his hand. Carol groaned this was a complication he didn't need nor had he told Carol or Daryl about last night. He needed to end this before it began or clouded any decisions over baby Jasper.

Carol beeped her horn and he moved quickly to get in the truck with Carol, he gave the girl a wave and she carried on walking down the road. Dylan glanced at Carol knowing she was going to want to know who it was and what it was about.

'I just met her, last week,' Dylan mumbled, 'Before Jasper,'

'Well Jasper needs you to have your wits about you right now, you need to put what ever this is on hold for a week and work out what you want to do with your life before you end up a father of two at 19,' Carol told him. 'This isn't a game Dylan,'

'i know, don't tell Daryl,' he asked her.

'I'm not telling Daryl................................. your telling Daryl,' Carol told him. He sighed and slunk down in his seat and said nothing most of the ride home.

'Jasper?' Dylan finally remembered about his son.

'He's a good baby, He's had 4 bottles and a couple of really good sleeps,' Carol told him, 'Lots of wet diapers, he likes movement,'

'Ok, did the lawyer come?' Dylan asked.

'No she's coming later, with files for you to look though and she will talk to you about everything.' Carol told him. 

They drove the rest of the way back to the garage parking out the back. Carol was bowled over by her identical twin girls jumping around wanting to talk to her first. Dylan moved out of the truck going inside too see Jasper and talk to Daryl about the new girlfriend.

'Ok ok, slow down, what's happening,' Carol asked the girls.

They both looked at each other then they both blurted out at the same time they had been invited to a birthday party and could they go it was on Saturday, Carol nodded, making a mental note to find out who's birthday and get two gifts for the girls to take to the party.

She leaned back on the car taking in the end of the day, chilling out she knew Daryl was going to come flying out the door soon looking for her to rant about what Dylan was going to tell him. He never showed displeasure in anything the kids did. She pulled herself up to sit on the hood of the truck, she glanced at her watch and sure enough he come out the door looking for her.

'Did you.................... did he...........?' his words were left hanging. He come really close and stood there watching her face running his  hands up and down her thighs.

'I saw with my own two eyes, I think its new though, where is he now?' Carol asked.

'Changing a shitty diaper,' Daryl told her. 'What are we going to do Carol? We going to offer to raise this kid?'

Carol sighed, as much as she already loved the little guy, they'd been through so much already. They finally got to a point that they could make love when ever they wanted without having to worry about where the toddlers were or sleepless nights, did she want to do that again? She didn't really want to for selfish reasons, they had often talked about fostering some children, they thought they would wait and see if someone fell in their lap. They filled in all the paper work and were approved for it but a new born was different to a teen who needed a family.

'I think.................... I think there someone desperate for a baby who can't have one who would love Jasper to the moon and back.................' Carol left it hanging they both knew who as desperate to have a baby.

'I know but we have to let him make his own decision,' Daryl told her, 'If he doesn't choose them? We going to let him go to strangers?'

Carol thought about it, she knew how desperate Daryl was not to have that happen due to his own family experiences as a child he wanted to keep his family safe, Dylan had been part of his family since he started the program and now Jasper was. Daryl wasn't giving up the baby even though he made out to her he didn't want to keep him by telling her not to get attached.

'No he's not going to strangers,' Carol pulled the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. 'He's one of us, either he's with us or the Rhees, no one else,'


	19. Chapter 19

Sophia could hear the baby crying and he had been for a few minutes without stopping she ventured down stairs to see what was going on. Two day's on Dylan hadn't made any progress on what he was going to do. Her Mum and Dad were out at a school thing and they left Dylan alone for the first time with the baby, knowing Sophia would be home also. She'd been on the phone with her friend when she heard Jaspers screaming cries and run down stairs.

'What's wrong with him?'

'I don't know,' Dylan was rubbing his back the way Carol had shown him and he'd been changed, fed, now he was trying to burp him. Dylan held the baby out to Sophia to take and she took him trying to rub his back too a little, it wasn't working. 'Do something ring someone,'

'I don't know, you change him?' Sophia put the baby on the change pad on the table and did a full body check making sure nothing was poking or sticking into him, she remembered from when the twins where little her Mum and Dad did a full check to make sure that nothing was sticking them. She checked his diaper to make sure it wasn't too tight and his little toes. Nothing and he was still screaming.

'How much did you feed him?' she asked him.

'What Carol said,' Dylan was looking upset, the baby was upset and she was trying to keep her cool but the noise was loud and grating. They past him back and forward, he took him outside to see if that would work but it didn't, he was getting really worked up about what ever was wrong with him. He come back inside and looked at Sophia and passed her Jasper to see if she had the magic touch like her mother but she didn't and he cried more.

'We need to ring someone, I'm not sure hold him,' Sophia told him, Dylan agreed he didn't care who they rung at that moment he just wanted the noise to stop and to stop now.

Dylan bounced around the room like he'd seen Carol do, the baby never cried for Carol or Daryl they held the baby with confidence and could move about doing daily tasks with him in their arms like he wasn't even there. Everyone he could think of would be at the school.

'I can only ring the Rhees,' Sophia looked through a list of people on the whiteboard that they could ring in an emergency.

She made a quick phone call and cursed her parents for leaving them with a 12 day old baby to look after. What the hell were they thinking, she didn't care that Dylan was the babies Dad he wasn't ready to be a Dad he could barely brush his own hair and everyone was all about letting him make choices, he was stalling and meanwhile they were all tiptoeing around him. She was going to say something to him.

She was never more thankful to see Uncle Glenn coming up the steps and he took the baby from Dylan, Maggie was walking slowly from the car. She was hanging back outside, the baby's cried brought her inside as Glenn put the baby on the change mat and half stripped him to check his body to make sure he didn't have a rash or something. He changed his diaper just in case.

'How much did he drink?' Maggie finally come inside and was standing back watching her husband. Her eyes were red rimmed, she looked tired and had big bag's under her eyes, she had a look of someone who'd been sick or crying for a week. Sophia knew she lost their baby and felt bad for bringing them here to help with the baby. 

Dylan told her and told her he drained the milk back.

'I read............ I was reading the other day that they sometimes have a big growth spurt about 12 days, how old is he?' Maggie asked.

'About that,' 

Glenn was doing the bounce and walk with the little baby something he'd learnt from helping his friends with their babies over the years, something he never knew he knew how to do. Dylan took another bottle out of the fridge for them to heat up and feed Jasper. It only took a minute to heat and he checked, held it out to Maggie. She hesitate for a minute before taking it and the baby, sitting in the rocking chair in the lounge. Jasper latched to the bottle with a sigh. Maggie rocked and Jasper drank. 

Glenn sat on the coffee table in front of the rocking chair talking quietly to them both, Sophia indicated with her head for Dylan to follow her outside. They were both shattered from their 20 minutes with Jasper crying. They sat on the steps of the house looking around.

'I'm adopted, Daryl's no my ................... he's my Dad, but he adopted me when I was 5,'  Sophia blurted out, 'Judy's adopted too, Uncle Merle adopted her,'

'Do you hate your bio dad for letting you go?'

'My............ Ed wasn't a nice man, he used to hurt use, my Mum, ................. he's dead now anyway, but Daryl's my Dad, look in there what he could have or what we were doing,' Sophia indicated inside the house, Glenn and Maggie had moved to the couch and were both sitting admiring the baby, Maggie still looked so sad but seemed to be holding herself back. Glenn was holding the baby while she was looking at his toes under the baby blanket.

'He could have both,' Sophia said, 'I know I'm not supposed to say anything, Mum and Dad will kill me, but he could have both, you and them, there are no big rules. He could have you and Glenn, a Dad and....................... a Uncle? A extended family with everyone, us, the Grimes.................... more people than he needs,'

Dylan looked at Sophia for the first time he'd known her she said something smart, everyone else was pussyfooting around him. He did need someone to point it out black and white. It was true he could be involved without being solely responsible for everything. He could take  him to the park or just go cuddle him. He liked cuddling him and holding him. He just wasn't ready.

'How did you get smart?' Dylan asked.

'I didn't I just know........................' Sophia was startled when Dylan leaned over and kissed her, she was even more startled when she kissed him back then pulled away, 'My Dad's would throttle you,'

'Sorry Soph, I mean.................... I'm not sorry,' Dylan looked a little startled, he'd kissed  his fair share of girls, slept with them too, Daryl would kill him. 'God, I'm going in to see Jasper,'

Sophia nodded, she sat there for some time and then saw a figure who she had been expecting to show up. Walking down the end of the field coming up a different way so that no one would see him. Carl Grimes.

'I'm just going for a walk down to feed the ............' Sophia called into the house  and took off down the way to go see Carl. Her Dad wouldn't be happy but what he didn't know didn't hurt him.

 


	20. Chapter 20

'Hi,' Sophia looked around moving close to Carl, he didn't look happy, he looked really mad. He pulled a pack of smokes out and paced around a bit before lighting it. Sophia wondered  how much he had seen. Carl looked more hardened than usual like he was about ready to lose it somehow. 

She looked him over, he run his hand through his hair and his tattoos were visible, his tee shirt come away from his jean's and she could see a tattoo on his stomach that she hadn't known was there, she glanced at it. He didn't have his leather wrist bands on and his left arm looked like it had more work done on it, up his forearm, she didn't notice at school because of all the wrist band's he normally wore one on top of each other. He had started a bit of a trend with the guys, one by one they showed up at school with Leather bands on as well, most hadn't know he was ordered by the school to wear them to stay in school. He thought it was stupid that others were copying him but at the end of the day he didn't tell them he had to wear it at school and he didn't wear them to look cool.

He took a drag and looked at her. He really looked at her and it made her feel a little self conscious. Like he could see into her soul or something.

'This all a game to you?' he finally spat out, 'I'm not wasting my time here when your up there with him making house,'

'No, what?' She tried to call his bluff a little. 

She was taking a risk even coming down to see Carl having made the call for him to come see her while  her parents were out. Carl gone out without letting Rick know where he was. He looked at the time he needed to go soon. He was pissed he'd been walking up to the house and he'd seen it, seen Dylan put the moves on Sophia.

'I saw you,' he spat out,  'Is this a fucken game, I'm risking my probation and your up on your porch making out with Dylan,'

Sophia wondered if she could lie about it.

'I was telling him I was adopted, and adoption wasn't a bad thing, it.................... he just did it,' She told him. He knew she was adopted, she was lucky, he was left alone and brought up with a huge amount of uncles because his mother's parents had thrown her out when she told them she was pregnant with him. He only found out about his Uncle when he started doing some online research and called him. They took them in because they had to. Not because they wanted too. His whole life no one not even his Ma really wanted him.

Carl just looked at her, he was too mad to even speak to her, he liked her  but he wasn't going to play second string on her little band of boys around town. He was leaving when she saw him he only stopped because he saw her coming towards him.

'Did you kiss him back?'

The question was left hanging, her non answer let him know the answer. He just walked off not trusting himself to let her know how pissed he was. Girls like her were always after the next best thing, they didn't want guys like him. He threw a glance in her direction then up and her nice house. Her nice family, she was lucky, they even took Dylan in and his kid. 

He had to ring his uncle and beg him for help. Made him feel obligated to take him in to his home, he wasn't wanted there. Rick was always growling at him for things. 'Pick up your gear, do better, be better. Don't get another Tattoo, stop smoking. Rick had no idea how to even begin to parent him. It was too late, he was just trying to get him through the year at school then he would be gone.

Now  he was wasting his time on a chick who had everything handed to her, life was a joke to her. She had no idea that he liked her the way he did. He was stupid to even think she might like  him back. He rolled his neck, everything made him mad. He just heard today his old man was back in town. He never met him, he didn't even know if he knew he was here. He over heard his uncle and aunt talking about it last night when they thought he was asleep. 

He only knew his fathers name that was it, he didn't know what sort of man he was, he did know his mother was 19 when she had him and his father was 22 and left town, he didn't know if that was before or after he found out Carl was on his way or if the thought of him coming made him come even sooner. Either way he didn't stick around. He was in two minds of whether to seek him out or not. His mother was pretty much gone all the time, working or at school. She almost wiped her hands of him when Rick took them in signing over parental rights to his Uncle Rick stating that she couldn't do it any more like he was a package who she could give away.

He knew Rick would make him gone not his problem when he turned 18, he'd heard  him over and over saying to his wife, 'We just got to get him to 18,' like 18 was a magic number and they could get rid of him too.

 _He just had to make it to 18 without getting into trouble so his record would be wiped clean and hopefully he could get a job and everyone would leave him the hell alone._  

'You kissed him back?' he asked her again more of a statement, he was done, fucken done with this bullshit trying to make nice and get a girlfriend trying to make something of himself when she was jumping around kissing one guy after the other. He had no claim on her, she could do what she wanted and she appeared to be, he shook  his head and just walked away heading back in the direction his car was.

'Wait, I didn't mean too, I didn't expect.................. it was a natural response,' 

'That's the second time I've had to see you kiss someone else, I'm out!' He turned and was walking backwards, 'I'm out, I don't need you, or any of this!' he waved his arms about and turned around.

'Where are you going?'

'Your uncle gave me a box of condom's I'm gonna go use them!' He knew his words would hurt her but he didn't care, he left her watching him getting into his car and leaving her, he drove down t he road, and watched her walking back to her house. He wasn't so much of an arse that he wouldn't make sure she got home. He drove home he made a detor to the local bar. He parked up outside and looked wondering if he should or not.

He finally frustrated enough with everything that was going wrong he didn't care what his Uncle said. He knew where he was staying. He pulled on  his leather jacket over his tee shirt, locked his car and walked around the front of his car and leaned against the front bonnet looking at the entrance of the bar. His eyes shifted upstairs, to the room's that they rented out. He smoked three smokes standing there looking before he pushed off and walked into the bar. He broke all his probation walking in there and he gave no fucks anymore. 

'Minors arn't allowed in the bar without a parent or guardian,' The bartender told him as he walked past the bar.

'I'm just looking for someone,'

'Look we don't need no trouble with the law, you need to go,' the bartender told him.

Carl paid him no notice and looked around the bar. He'd heard a description of him over the years from his mother there was only one guy in the bar that looked like he had heard and he headed over. He looked up when Carl walked towards the pool table.

'Well, well, well, I was wondering when you were going to come in from the car park,' the man said, 'Axel!'

'Carl Grimes, I think................. they said your my dad?'

 


	21. Chapter 21

'I heard a whisper when I got back into town, when your Uncle stopped by to warn me off I knew it was true,' Axel looked him up and down, he took in his tattoo's, earrings, leather jacket, 'Your a tough kid huh, got the bad boy image going on?'

They both took a good look at each other, Carl could see where he got his build from and was thankful he didn't get the red hair. He was probably hitting forty, wasn't too hard to understand, he looked like he had an easy going nature about him. He looked carefree and not a worry and things were not a problem. Carl wondered what he thought about becoming a Dad, did he want to be one. Was he wasting his time.

'Gotta be.......... had no one looking out for me, no one wanted me,' Carl challenged him, 'You didn't,'

'Fuck kid I didn't know........... I dated ya ma for a year then her old man run me outa town, only come back cos my Ma's been sick and I knew her old man was dead and wouldn't cause me any trouble,' Axel took a drink of his beer, 'Didn't know anything about ya,'

He still didn't get the answer he wanted, did he even want to know him now, or was he just humouring him like every other man in his life. Was what he was saying about his Granddad true he didn't know, he never really saw his grandparents, he'd asked to go see them there was always some excuse. He remembered coming home a few years ago and being told that his granddad died, they brought new clothes and attended a funeral. He met his Uncle Rick for the first time since he could remember, he was about 9 years old.

Then the Grandmother passed when he was 11, he didn't go, his mother didn't go. The will from the Grandfathers estate excluded his mother, he remembered hearing her tell a friend. He remembered his Uncle Rick coming and giving them some money, it didn't last long and then they were back to the same old. He remembered money coming in a card almost monthly until they come to live with Rick. It helped things were not so bad. Same old different boyfriends being moved in to their house, their flat, their trailer because he might be the one. There was no one, she been looking for love and never found it. He was the only reason she was sticking around.

One night she told him he reminded him of his Dad, back when he was about 13, before he realized his real Dad wasn't going to show up and claim them. Help him, help her and then he just followed her around the state from one job to the next, one arsehole to the next until he got in with a bad crowd and decided he didn't care anymore. The cop taking his statement asked if he was related to Rick Grimes their path's had crossed a few times over the years. When Carl confirmed he was he made Carl ring and ask for help. Now he was stuck with Rick who didn't want him.

'If you did?'

'Don't know kid, it was a different time 18 years ago, maybe I would of married ya Mama, maybe?' Axel was watching Carl he recognized a lost soul, 'Probably kid, I would of tried, I probably wouldn't be a................... one of those who did everything right I would of tried,'

Carl nodded and didn't know what to do next he saw the bartender on the phone and he was looking in his direction. He had to go.

'Can I see you?' Carl asked, he put it out there he had nothing to lose, his Uncle would prob rat him out anyways.

'Sure kid, I'm looking for a job, got a interview at the garage in the morning. I'm gonna stick around.' Axel grabbed a beer coaster and a pen off the bartender and wrote down his cell number, 'Don't you be coming in the bar looking for me again though, you gonna get us both into trouble, text me later with your number, we go for a burger or something,'

Carl took the number an put it in his pocket.

'Kid, I'm sorry,' Axel said.

Carl glanced over at the door and saw his Uncle coming towards them.

'I would of........................ I would have stuck around if I knew, I loved ya Ma, never been anyone else since,' Axel admitted. Rick walked up to the pool table. He looked at Axel and Carl he worked out quickly Carl knew who he was.

'Carl we need to go,' He told Carl he put his hand on his shoulder, Carl shrugged it off. 'Come on buddy, we need to go before you get in trouble for being here,'

'Why did you tell him to keep away from me?' Carl asked him, he allowed himself to be led out the side door of the bar and Axel followed them out, 'Why you do that?'

'Cos................... I needed to figure it out, Sasha and I................ we dont' want you getting into trouble or anything we need to get you to 18,' Rick started to say.

'To get rid of me!' Carl spung a little to knock his arm off his shoulder.

'No to get your records clean, so you can apply for college or a job or whatever,' Rick looked a bit shocked, 'I don't want to get rid of you, I ................ shit Carl we just feel so bad we didn't know, we want you to grow into a proud man, once we get rid of your record the worlds yours,'

'Its not all Rick's fault, I agreed not to come looking for you,' Axel put in, ' we talked an Rick said you had another 9 months till you turned 18, I was going to sit it out, or come back,'

'You want me?'

'Course we do, everyone wants you, I just ...................... we didn't know Carl, I didn't know she was sent away when she was pregnant,' Rick said, 'I was out working and got told she left for a job, every time I asked about her, they said she was doing fine and loving her job,' Rick run his hand through his hair, 'They lied to me, I didn't know she had you till she showed up with you at Dad's funeral, then she never come to Mums, I've been sending her money since I knew..................... I should have done more, I love you............ Sasha loves you.....................your Ma............. she does love you,'

'Hey kid go home with your Uncle, I'll come talk with you tomorrow, if your Uncle will let me?' 

'Come to dinner, we all need to sit down, talk this out,' Rick told them, he didn't know that Carl still thought he didn't want him, he thought that in the beginning but he had a long way to go to show Carl they loved him, he was worthy the love. 

Axel made the first move Carl was standing there a bit shocked about the turn of events, when he saw his Uncle arrive he was sure he was going to be dumped off at the police station but they were talking about wanting him. He hesitated for a moment not knowing if he should do it or not and gave him a big hug and a pat on the back.

'I'm promise, we can talk, if I can get this arsehole tomorrow to give me a job things will be fine,' Axel said.

'You looking, where?' Rick asked.

'Someone told me Merle Dixon was looking for a new mechanic, going to try my luck,' Axel said.

'Your luck should be fine,' Rick waved them off Axel went back up to his room and he followed Carl home in his car where Sasha was pacing the lounge waiting for them to get home.

'Thank god your ok,' She gave Carl a hug, 'Now got clean yourself up and we can eat, I've made pie,'

'Do we have to eat it?' Rick teased her, her cooking was not her strong suit, she freined mock rage and kissed him.

 


	22. Chapter 22

'Oh no this doesn't look good,' Carol looked at Daryl as they pulled up the drive, they had 4 tired children in the back. Whinning and poking each other. 

'That Glenn's car?' Daryl looked surprised, 'Thought they were meant to stay away,'

'I don't know,I hope everything is ok,' She looked across the field and could see two figures standing on the deck of the pond. They were throwing stones in, for that Carol was thankful that they were  not  doing anything else on the deck. 'Kids everyone is to go straight upstairs to bed, teeth toilet, jamma's bed,'

'Yes,' come tired replies from the back of their big people mover.

'You want pond or house?' Daryl asked Carol.

'I'll do the house,' Carol told him.

She headed into the house finding Glenn and Maggie sitting on the couch watching tv and the baby sound asleep in Maggies arms. Maggie looked drained and spent, Glenn had his eyes shut pretending to watch tv she wasn't sure if he was awake or asleep.

'Hi,' Carol's hi was loaded with the question of , why are you here.

'Hi, Sophia rang, Jasper was screaming the .............. I guess they couldn't cope,' Maggie whispered over the baby's sleeping head.

'They rang you? I'm so sorry,' Carol would kill Sophia later for making Maggie come help with Jasper, Carol hadn't seen her since the miscarriage, Maggie's choice but she felt bad that she was put in a position to be faced with a new born.

'Its ok, it is,' Maggie kissed the baby's little downy head, she read Carol's face and knew everything she was thinking and was worried about with her having been faced with a new born. 'He's a darling little boy, and if Dylan is going to keep him or whatever we going to be seeing Jasper, he's a beautiful baby,'

Maggie looked content, Glenn looked like he was sleeping for the first time in a long time. Maggie had been so sad for so long that he had been carrying a lot of that weight alone on his shoulders. They were devastated to lose their baby they needed to keep going or give up. Maggie was on the cust of giving up never trying again. Glenn just wanted Maggie to be happy, even if Dylan kept Jasper they were also going to be active members in his team for raising Jasper. They told Dylan he could count on them to be on his side.

'We are not going to try again,' Maggie told Carol, 'Enough is enough,'

'You sure?' Carol felt sad for her friend they were not going to keep trying. It was up to them but she felt guilty for having her family and making Daryl have the snip so they wouldn't have any more when her friend couldn't have any at all.

'Yes, we can be happy without, we might be lucky and get a baby through adoption, or fostering,' She told Carol 'But my heart can't take anymore big losses like the last one,'

Carol nodded and went away to check their children, Sophia come in through the back door and she looked like a deer caught in the head lights when her mother saw her.

'What?'

'Nothing, I didn't do anything................................... ok I told Dylan I was adopted that's it, that's all I did tonight................ and rung Uncle Glenn and Aunty Maggie,' Sophia looked at her, Carol couldn't help but wonder if there was something else. She nodded.

'That's fine you don't have to hide that you were adopted, you can tell who you want to tell............. your Daddy loves you though don't do it in front of him, your Daddy's no matter what,' Carol told her.

'I know,' Sophia looked out at the deck, 'He was worried that kids didn't like to be adopted, I told him I was and I like it,.................. I told him about Judith too,' 

Carol shook her head, 'That's not your information to tell Soph, its Judith's'

'I know,'

'Ok go up do homework and get into bed,' Carol went upstairs and kissed both sets of twin's goodnight and answered 100's of questions then headed out to the pond to see what was going on with Dylan.

'What if they don't want Jasper when he's 5? or he does something bad? or he takes food? or breaks something? doesn't do something right?' all theses questions come out of Dylan's mouth. He knew what happened to him when he did those's things from his father, he didn't want that for Jasper.

'Dylan calm down, its going to be ok,' Carol come up the path, they both knew what had happened to Dylan as a child but he had come out the other a bright young man. 'Its going to be fine, what ever you chose, if you chose to adopt him, Daryl and I will adopt him or if you want to give him to someone who's desperate to love your little boy there's two people in the  house who would walk over burning coal's for that opportunity, either way, its only going to be us, them or you,'

'But you need to put a lot of thought into it Dylan, you can't just keep putting it off, what ever you decide to adopt him out or whatever, we will be there and you will be involved,' Daryl added to the conversation. 'Other wise he will be two and not know who he's calling Daddy,'

Dylan nodded he was looking out at the water, 'Can't  you decide?'

'Nope, your baby, your choice,' Carol told him, 'I'm heading back to the house to wake up Glenn who looks very content on the couch,'

'If I give him up I can still stay?' Dylan asked.

'We told you you can,' Carol told him.

'Even if he goes to Glenn and Maggie?' 

'If you want to stay you have a home,' Daryl told him, Dylan nodded.

'You sure?' Dylan asked.

'You want a contract?' Daryl asked him. Dylan nodded.

 


	23. Chapter 23

Carol come downstairs in the morning before anyone else was awake and found Jaspers bags all packed, Dylan was putting the can's of formula on the table, the baby was strapped to his chest in the baby carrier. She stood back watching what he was doing. The baby clothes were being gathered and packed and she realized that Dylan was actually crying talking to the baby against his chest, stopping to stroke his head and pack his bag.

She knew he had decided to give him up without even talking to him about it. He was trying to do what he thought was best for Jasper. He looked up and saw Carol watching him.

'Do you think they will let me visit?' Dylan asked.

Carol couldn't talk because her eyes were filled with tears and she was finding it hard to swallow. She nodded and sniffed a little, she come over and gave him a  hug.

'Open adoptions mean you have access to him. He will know he's your son and your his Dad. Kinda you would be like a uncle maybe,' Carol told him.

'He won't hate me?'

'I don't know, depends................... if you don't take this opportunity to make something of yourself, make him proud,' Carol put the jug on, 'When's it happening?'

'Today? I don't want to let him go Carol, its the actual though of handing him over,' Dylan looked like he was going to run.

'Ok, why don't we do a gradual thing, he doesn't have to go today, Maggie could come spend the day for a few days,' Carol suggested.

'Can I do that? I still wanna see him and take him to the park or something.......................... I don't want them to just take him away,' Dylan held his hand across the front of the baby.

'You sure you want to give him up?' Carol asked. 'You don't have too,'

'Giving him to the Rhee's is the right thing to do, they haven't got any..................... you already have 5........... and me............ then you would have 7,' Dylan tried to keep his shit together, 'Its the right thing to do they don't have any and .......................... I know they want a baby and Glenn's .................... he's nice, Maggie looked so sad,'

'Ok so if you adopt him out and he goes to the Rhee's why don't we organize with the lawyer so you can have access to Jasper, have it in writing that you can have access to him,' Carol told him, Dylan seemed to look brighter with that, 'He's going to know who you are as long as you stay in the area and make an effort to see him,'

'They can do that?'

'Back in the old day's baby's went out for adoption and you never knew where they were and never ever saw them again, now you can have visits and you can have a relationship with him like a uncle or older brother,' Carol took a breath she saw Daryl coming into the room.

He was just wearing jean's he'd had a shower and Dylan looked across at him. He looked shocked to see his body with his scar's and all his tattoo's on full display, something he normally kept covered around strangers but not his kids, if they asked about them he told them. He figured if Dylan was moving in he couldn't keep his body hidden it would drive him crazy like he had a secret.

He could tell he wanted to ask but stalled a little his eyes taking everything in from the kids names tattoo'd up his arm's to the one on his biceps, his body had scar's that Daryl hadn't really thought about for about 7  years. They no longer had the pull on him. He still couldn't go into small dark places or have bedroom doors shut but he didn't have the nervous twitches and handled life better.

'My old man................... was a wanker,' Daryl told him.

'He do that to you?' Dylan looked, he'd had his own abuse but not the scar's that Daryl had.

'He................. he wasn't .................. he used to beat us, starve us and lock us up.................. That's why........... I ......... I mean Merle and me do the program,' Daryl finally said, 'Glenn's old man they kicked him out when he was 16 I found him, he was jacked up on drugs and .............................. he's a good man Glenn, I helped? Raised..................... I mean he was 17.............. from then he lived with me................. I helped him, like I'm helping  you, Jasper's going to be lucky to have him as a Dad if that what you want,'

'Glenn was a street kid?'

'Not by choice,  he was in a bad way when I found him................ well I nearly run him over, he's amazing, I put him through law school, he ................. shit ask Zac about Glenn, Glenn helped raise Zac,' Daryl hoped he wasn't over sharing with Dylan. Dylan seemed surprised that Glenn had had it tough.

'Maggies a school teacher?'

'Sure is, she taught Sophia when she first come to town with her Mama, I don't know if you know but Sophia's not mine biologically but she's mine,' Daryl told him. 'I adopted her, best day of my life meeting Soph and Carol, she was only 5,' 

'So Glenn's gonna be a good Dad? He's not gonna throw  him out............... he wouldn't do that right? Guess I'm just scared because................ my folks were no good,' Dylan nodded, he actually reached out and touched the tattoo's on his arm of the kids names. He nodded getting it, he could be involved somewhat with Jasper.

He was confused he didn't know Jasper was even coming, it wasn't like he didn't love or want him, he just knew he couldn't give him the life he deserved. Sleeping in a loft with a dad who was struggling to get educated. He would have to give it up and then  he would always be in low income jobs, he wanted to finish this year then move on to something with more of a profession.

2 hours later he called the lawyer to tell her he'd made a decision. Tara listened on the phone and started writing on the pad. 

'JASPER IS YOURS!"

Glenn across the room was trying to file paper work read it and had wide eyes. He listened as she repeated Dylan's wants for the adoption.

'Access?' Tara said,  Glenn nodded.

'Visits, photos, ok we can draw up an agreement to go with adoption paperwork, you bring in Carol and Daryl with you to come read things over. You don't have to sign today but maybe you could allow the Rhee's to come visit with you and Jasper,' Tara continued her conversation finally hanging up.

'He's going to be keeping an eye on    you,' She told Glenn.

'Good,'

 

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

Daryl nearly laughed if it wasn't such a serious situation, it was one week on and Jasper was going to live with the Rhee's, Dylan was giving them last minute instruction. 3pm in the afternoon was exchange time.

'He only likes that sort of teat, and warm not too hot, don't follow just the 7 feeds on the back of the can sometimes he wants more,' Dylan had got himself worked up trying to give last minute instructions on how to look after Jasper.

'Its fine, we will feed him more if he wants more,' Maggie was talking in a gentle tone, the exchange was happening at the farm however tomorrow would be a family get together at the farm, it was Carol's birthday and they would be bringing Jasper back.

'Should I write it all down?' Dylan asked.

Carol couldn't believe how well he was coping, he'd gotten to know the Rhee's a lot more over the past week with them spending more and more time with Jasper at the farm so the exchange wouldn't be hard on anyone.

'Dylan why don't you come down for dinner tonight, help me bath him?' Glenn suggested.

Dylan nodded he would like that, they offered unlimited access to Jasper, unless it become programmatic. they could see he was worried. They had a offered a standard dinner invite Dylan every Thursday, and a visit every Saturday or Sunday officially, but they offered an open door policy. Carol could see they wanted to run with the baby before they changed their minds but they were taking it cool with Dylan when he evenutlly put him in his car seat to go the 500 yards down the road to his new home. So close that you could go to the end of the drive and see the house.

Maggie hugged everyone. Glenn hugged Dylan and shook his hand. They hadn't told Dylan but Glenn had offered Daryl to pay Dylan's next few years until he graduated at college. Daryl hadn't told Dylan because it could be seen as a bribe, so they set up a trust with the program for them to use for the kids who were struggling to pay for college. Glenn had already put Zac through his courses it wasn't out of the scheme of things for him to do things for the kids like Daryl did. But with the trust they had all their bases covered. Dylan didn't need to know it come from Maggie and Glenn.

'I promise we will look after him, love him,' Glenn told him, he nodded, he couldn't walk out to the car and watch them leave with his baby that 2 short weeks ago he didn't even know was on his way, he couldn't help but wonder if he did know he was coming would he do things different? Would he not have gone to college but got a job? Probably, he had no choice he didn't even know he was coming. 

Everyone was quiet around they had sent all the other kids for a walk down to Merles so they didnt' have everyone watching. Dylan sat defeated at the table. Carol made him a drink and they all sat down.

'Its not like we not going to see him again, he's only 500 yards away,' Daryl commented.

'Yeah,' Dylan looked at him, he nodded, 'I'm gonna go out for a bit,'

They watched him get in the little run about from the garage they given him use of for the past few weeks to get too and from college quickly. Daryl gave him some money and told him to ring and he would come pick him up when he needed it. He watched him leave knowing full well he was probably heading for the local bar. Its something he would have done.

'Do you think that was a good idea?' Carol come up behind them, they looked around the house felt empty.

'No but....................... he would go anyway, its best he knows I will come, if he's not back in a few hours me and Merle will go find him,' Daryl kissed her forehead, 'Lets walk down get the kids,'

4 hours later Dylan hadn't rung, Carol had taken the two sets of twins to the movies with Andrea, and Sophia had gone to a sleep over at a friends, he was home alone waiting for a call from Dylan. He rung Merle to come with him to go get him. Merle wasn't able too due to Andrea and Judith having gone out to the movies, he knew both Rick and Shane were working, in the end he rung Glenn.

'Come with me get Dylan?' Daryl asked him.

They found him nursing a beer in the back corner of the bar. He looked surprised to see them there. They were surprised to see he hadn't been drinking and had a plate of nacho's in front of him, Glenn slid across the seat in front of him, Daryl slid in beside him.

'You gonna come home?' Daryl asked him.

'Why? I've got nothing now, once you find out I kissed your girl I'm as good as out anyway,' Dylan was in self pity mode.

Daryl rubbed his temples, 'I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that now get your butt in the car, you promised you'd go see Jasper,'

'I feel like shit................ I've been seeing this girl I told her about him and she told me ....................... she told me it was a good thing I got rid of him................. cos she didn't want to be landed with some on elses kid............... she made out like I throwed him away, I didn't................. I wanted to save him from what I had happen.............. but I couldn't,................. I love him but he needs more................... I don't know....................... I didn't throw him away................' Dylan's words were strained as he tried to get them out.  'Now I dont have my baby or a girlfriend.................. '

'Come on,' Glenn was the one to get to his feet first, 'Lets go see Jasper, you don't want a girl who doesn't want to know about him, he's going to be part of your life, lets go see him put him to bed.'

Dylan followed Glenn. He looked across the car park in the dark and could see his teen daughter hanging out leaning against a car making out with Carl Grimes. Fuck!


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi guys I read all the comments I try to reply to most, please keep going I love them, give ideas or wee sub plots this fic has a wee way to go yet. We might see Sophia go off to college, explore the twins and Judith a bit more.

Sophia had spent all week trying to get back into Carl's good books again. It had taken three days of chipping away and smiling, and stopping him to talk. Touching his hand by accident at the program. She worked it. She really liked him she didn't know what had got into Dylan when he kissed her like that, she put it down to stress and she was being kind to him.

Trying to smile and flirt with him at school was failing but she caught he glancing her way when he thought she wouldn't catch him. She knew he was watching her keeping an eye on her even if he wasn't talking to her. She didn't blame him really he saw something that he didn't want to see. She wouldn't want to see him kissing someone else.

In the end she managed to get him to text her back. That was on Wednesday and since then flirty text messages and flown back and forward between them. She had a little grin when she saw his name in her inbox. She also hid her phone from her parents in case they happened to pick it up and see them flirting with each other her Dad would be mad with her considering she still wasn't being trusted by him yet

He told her he was at his Dad's and Sophia's friends place wasn't far from there. She and her friend climbed out her bedroom window to go meet Carl and her friends boyfriend in the car park. They knew they shouldn't be doing it. Her friends boyfriend was keen to meet, he had his own car and they agreed to meet where Carl was having dinner with his Dad. Sophia didn't tell Carl she was coming.

Text messaging between the teens went fast. She sent him a text when she was outside telling him where she was.

Carl didn't expect to see her leaning against his car when he come out from having dinner in the restaurant. He saw her and shook his head looking at her. He took her all in cute and wearing clothes her Daddy would have a fit if he saw her wearing. He knew she was wearing them for him.

'The fuck Sophia?' He was a little annoyed, he'd been avoiding her all week. She didn't get it. He wasn't her play thing, she knew he didn't go out the other night because she saw Axel at the workshop and he basically told her about meeting Carl when she asked about who he was. Axel told her all the information she needed to know. Carl shook his head when he told her. 

'Hi,' Sophia smile at him.

'What you doing here? I don't need the complications,' He could be interested, he liked Sophia but her Dad................. or Sophia was still very much young. 

She coming out to meet him, in the dark in the carpark. He was sure she was still a virgin and he really didn't want all the drama with a relationship with her. He did think he might be interested but she played too many games for him. He wasn't a virgin, not that that was his only reason for liking or not liking her. He just didn't wanna play prom queen games with her. He wanted her to either be with him or fuck off.

'I............... I thought we could .............' She looked at him with her blue eyes, 'Talk?'

Carl didn't know what he was thinking when he backed her up against his car and was kissing her hard. He pulled her close and stroked her hair holding her to him cuddling her realizing that he did like her and he knew when her Daddy found out both of them were going to get their butts kicked or something.

He was aware her friend and her boyfriend were rolling around in the back seat. Carl took a glance in that direction knowing her friend was only 16 tapped on the window to let them know they were there and he needed to slow down a little. 

He couldn't help himself by putting his knee between her legs, widening her stance and moving his mouth down her neck, pressing himself against her. Her hand went up his shirt he knew she wasn't as innocent as she looked, he knew he needed to back off a little take a walk, in the end he didn't have to worry about it

He then felt himself air borne, being jerked off Sophia's neck.

 

 


	26. Chapter 26

'Go now and go fast,' he heard words in his ear. Words that sent a chill down his spine when he recognized the voice it come from.

Carl looked up see an extremely angry face of Daryl Dixon, Sophia squealed upon seeing her Dad and actually moved quicker than he had ever seen her moving to the back of the car. She tried to get the attention of her girlfriend before her Dad saw them too.

'I............................. I wasn't doing nothing,' Carl got out. 

Daryl wasn't listening and he was just keeping his cool. Glenn moved between them. He wasn't to sure how Daryl was keeping it together he was barely keeping it together seeing what he saw. They were both 17 but in his heart Sophia was still 5. Daryl must have been going insane. He was thankful he had come with Daryl to get Dylan and not Merle.

'Sophia get in my car right now,' Glenn told her, and she run for his car as fast as she could mouthing sorry to Carl, 'Carl did you know Sophia was supposed to be on a sleep over?'

Carl didn't know what to say, he was either going to throw her under the bus and then Axel come out from his room hearing Sophia's squeal. He looked around not knowing really what was going on only that two men were extremely angry with Carl. 

'Whats going on?'

'You boy had my girl pushed up against his car hands all over her,' Daryl told him. 'Get in the car, NOW!'

'Carl go into my room,' Axel told him, 'I think we all need to calm down a little,'

'I'm not calm,' Daryl told him, he looked around and saw two heads popping up from a nearby car, he pulled open the door and Sophia's friend and  her boyfriend tumbled out. Both of them backing around the car. Daryl pointed to Glenn's Car and her friend run quickly leaving her boyfriend to handle the mess.

Glenn come around in front of Daryl put  his hands on his shoulders.

'Ok, we need to all calm down for a minute,' Glenn was ready to lose his own shit seeing Sophia and Carl together grinding against each other nearly made him lose his shit but he needed to keep Daryl from losing his.

Daryl was close to losing the plot, all his training over the years was going out the window and he wanted to put his hands around Carl Grimes neck, he couldn't keep it together and he walked, he just left. He tossed Glenn his keys to his truck and just walked out of the car park. He heard Glenn calling him but he could hear the blood pounding around his head and all he wanted to do was talk to Carol.

Sophia and her friend watched him walking out the car park and down the road. She knew that wasn't good. It wasn't something her Dad would do. Leave her like that. 

'Your in deep shit, your Dad never loses it ever, where's  he going?' Her friend asked her.

'To organize boarding school? I don't know?' Sophia looked around.

She was sitting in the back of her Dad's truck and Glenn was standing there talking to the boys and to Axel. Carl kept glancing in the direction of the truck they were sitting in. Dylan was sitting across outside the pub with his head in his hands. 

Daryl was sitting down the road having a smoke with shaking hands, he pulled out his cell phone and pushed call with shaking hands.

When she answered he just told her, 'I need you,'

'Where are you?'

'I'm................ I'm sitting in the gutter down the road from the bar............................ I wanna throttle Sophia, I can't even talk to her right now,' Daryl told her.

'K, we just leaving the movies, 5 minutes,' he heard the truck starting up on the other end of the phone. He knew she put him on the dash but didn't hang up. He stood up when he saw the lights coming down the road.  She'd told the kids to sit in the truck while she talked to Dad.

She crossed the road and could see he was twitching and wringing his hands a little. Rocking on his feet.

'Shush babe............... what's..............' she didn't manage to get anything out before he was holding her shaking a little in her arms, she rubbed his back for a minute until she felt his anger go. 'What's happened?'

'Sophia was in the car park grinding up and down on Carl Grimes,' Daryl told her, Carol pulled back and looked at him.

'Sophia's on a sleep over,' Carol was confused, Daryl wan't really making a lot of sense about things. 'Sophia wasn't at her friends?'

'No she and the friend were making out with boys in the pub car park, the friend was rolling round in the back of a car and Sophia.................... I wanted to plant him Carol,'

'You didn't though? Did you?' Carol glanced at him.

'No, I walked away and called you,' Daryl told her. 'I can't do this tonight you have too,'

'You wanna take the girls and Charlie? Where's Dylan? He's not drunk?' Carol asked, he shook his head and hopped into the drivers seat and took Carol up to the car park.

The look on Sophia's face when her mother arrived she was scared. She could try with her Dad but her Mother wasn't going to let her away with much. She sent Dylan off with Glenn, Gathered the girls said goodnight to Axel and Carl and left to go drop the friend off and pick up Sophia's stuff.

The girls were silence the whole ride home wondering what was going to happen next. Carol told them to sit in the car while she went and spoke with the other parents telling them both girls had sneaked out of the house to go meet boys in the pub car park and she was here to pick up Sophia stuff. She then sent the friend in home and took Sophia home.

She found Daryl lying beside Cameron reading a book to her, Charlie was lying on the floor on a camp stretcher in a sleeping bag, wanting to sleep over in his twin's bedroom. Daryl's foot was bouncing a little on top of the bed. He always felt a bit guilty for never spending as much time with Cameron as he did with Charlie so he did make an effort to read to her a few nights a week even though she could read herself. He felt she needed the time with him. Tonight he needed the time with his youngest daughter to remind him how sweet little girls could be and she was a calming influence on him right now.

She went in to see the Jordan and Eden they were whispering together in bed looking at a book. Clones of each other Carol walked in kissing them both telling them if they were going to share a bed they should use their own pillows. They looked at her and giggled, Daryl had don a good job of keeping them calm on the way home even though he was stressed out.

She knew he was digging deep. She hadn't said a word to Sophia the whole way home and then sent her to her room when she got home. Carol kissed one set of twins and then went back downstairs to do the feeding of animals. She went into the barn turning the lights on to feed anyone who needed it in there. The old dog followed her around as she fed the donkeys and the little horses they had. She was coming out and she could see the outline of Daryl standing on the dock of the pond. The way was lit up by solar lights she could just make him out.

She walked down taking the old dog with her, it was dark, she called out to him so he knew she was coming to meet him. He turned to her call and walked towards her. He took her hand going to sit in a old love seat that had been there since they moved in.

'Feeling better?' Carol asked him.

'I don't know, I have one foot on each side of the fence of boarding school......................... sneaking out from a friends place is the last straw,' he told her.

Carol nodded, he had always been against it now it was out there, Sophia only had another 9 months at school. Was she going to make it in one piece?

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

'When Sophia was little I was her hero, now............... she almost going out of her way to do things to ........ ' Daryl leaned back on the seat almost looking defeated. 'Do I just give up? We been trying to keep her safe but...................... '

'What are we going to do?' Carol asked him half told him.

'Don't know, let her go.............. let her sink or swim?' Daryl suggested.

'Or boarding school,' Carol suggested, she had suggested it two years ago when Sophia did start going off the rails. Daryl wouldn't hear of it.

'She's off the program,' Daryl told her.

'Daryl you can't,'

'She's off.................... I don't think Carl knew she was lying................... I think he was with Axel and opportunity arose,' Daryl told him. 'I want her phone,'

'I've got it, its not good, they've been texting all week, Sophia is the instigator,'

'God, what do I even want to read them?' Daryl asked

'Bet you don't honey,' Carol told him. 

'That bad?' Daryl flopped over on the seat and hugged his wife, he planted a kiss on her face, 'Do you think if its because of us? We did something?'

'I don't know, but in the great scheme of things all she is guilty of is sneaking out and kissing a boy,' Carol tried to down play it a little.

'Bullshit!' 

'Your bullshit,' Carol told him.

'Its not the time to sass me, I'm mad at our daughter,' Daryl looked at her, she gave him a little smile, she knew he was calming down. Sitting out there watching the stars. She always calmed him down a little. 'Your trying to make me less mad,'

'That's bullshit!' Carol told him again, 'I'm not, I'm just saying............. you never sneaked out to kiss a girl?'

'I sneaked out to kiss you but I was a adult,' Daryl told her.

'And Soph will be 17 soon, then 18.'

They sat there for a long time holding hands, thinking, she turned her head to say something and he bent over to kiss her a little. He pulled her onto his lap kissing her for a long time, ducks flew over head and they broke apart.

'Come on, lets go to bed, think about it some more in the morning,' Carol stood up pulling on his hand to make hims stand.

The old dog followed them up the path back to the house. They saw Dylan walking up the drive, they stopped and waited for him to come close. He looked better, relaxed the walk home had done him some good.

'Hi, you should see what they have, they have so much for Jasper........... he's sleeping in their room by Maggies side........... and its going to be good, there's a bed for me too if I'm really missing him I'm allowed to stay over,' Dylan told them.

Carol smiled and Daryl nodded. They already knew all this it was good for Dylan to see it.

'That great, really great,' Daryl told him.

'Are you still mad? At Soph?' Dylan asked him. 'Are you going to make her leave?'

'No I think we will keep her,' Daryl told her. 'I think we will keep her,'

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

Daryl come up the stairs with breakfast, his face fell was he saw Carol drying her hair and had a towel wrapped around her body.

'Happy birthday........................ why?'

'I get up and shower every day, what?' Carol looked at him.

He held up his tray, he'd put all the kids in front of a movie telling them their mothers birthday treat was a sleep in and they were to keep it quiet. He actively ignored Sophia he didn't want her to ruin his mood. He was making good a on a birthday gift and not only that he lost a bet with Carol. He was going to have to force himself to go down on her.

'Breakfast............... I tied all the kids up................... and I lost a bet,' He put his breakfast offerings on the little table by her side of the bed, he pulled out whipped cream in a can from his back pocket because ............ pancakes, he told Charlie when he asked why he had whipped cream in his back pocket. He was thankful Charlie didn't ask where the pancakes were.

'You have this all planned, I guess I can eat,' Carol sat down on the side of the bed. She took a drink of juice, she looked at her meal seeing that the kids had helped him set it up. Peanut butter on toast, a chocolate bar, with a apple, banana and a glass of juice. 

Carol looked at the food and took the chocolate first then looked at him.

'You talk with.............'

'No............ we not talking about it today, its your birthday, unless you want to before ..................' Daryl gaze looked over her, 'so lets just tell her she has no rules anymore, we don't care, she doesn't need to sneak around because we don't need to know,'

'No rules?' 

'No rules, I did  this work shop of kids that rebel against the rules, its pretty hard to rebel against the rules when there are none,' Daryl said. 'We give her pocket money, keys to the run about car with Dylan and they both have no rules, they sink or swim,'

'No rules?.................................... No............ Rules?' Carol took a few swallows, 'No groundings or whatever.................... so nothing happens?'

'Nope, we tell her the only one she's letting down is her because we don't care what she does because we are giving her no rules, she can make her own.................... she wants to be an adult she doesn't need to sneak around. She lets us know where she's going and who she will be with and we won't say a word,' Daryl told her. 

Carol knew what he was doing. Sophia would be wanting rules before the weeks out.

'So thats that then?'

'Happy birthday?' Daryl picked up the can of whipped cream and shook it. He pushed her back on the bed a little.

'Thankyou.................. what ever are you going to do with that Daryl?' She looked at him, he liked to step out of his comfort zone a lot. He'd brought on many different idea's and toys into the bedroom, Carol was always willing to let him in on a little secret she had. She moved her towel a little and he saw she'd been for a wax.

Daryl looked and was wondering how long it had been like that and tried to think back to when they last had sex, it had been a while.

'You like?' She asked him.

Daryl pushed her back onto the bed to look more closely, he put his mouth to it. Kissing her, kissing her thighs. He took the can and sprayed it on her taking his time to lick it off her. 

'I like it,' Daryl groaned a little, 'How fucken long you had a strip down here?'

'Hmmmmmm over a week,' Carol giggled.

'That's not fucken fair, you didn't tell me,' Daryl growled.

'I thought I would let you find it out yourself,'

'Next time tell me,' Daryl growled.

He buried his face between her legs, began an assault on her clit.

'Is it my fucken birthday?' He grunted.

Carol giggled, her husband was showing a huge appreciation for her efforts on getting a wax, she made  a mental note on what to get him for his birthday, and probably she should keep making an effort to get waxed legs and bikini line more often.


	29. Chapter 29

Carol was sitting watching Daryl and Shane flip burgers on the grill for the birthday gathering that had more people at it than she realized they had invited. By the time they had invited their family and their kids they quickly had more people than she realised. Sophia was sitting across the yard staring at her wondering if they were tricking her. Dylan was sitting near her glancing down the drive to see if the Rhee's were coming yet.

The Grimes had just arrived and Rick was trying to push Carl into the yard ahead of him but he generally looked to be terrified at even coming in the gate. Carol looked at Daryl and he looked relaxed and she caught a glimpse of his stomach as his hand went under his shirt to scratch  his belly, he caught her looking and lifted it up higher.

She laughed out loud and Rosita snapped out from under her day dream to look to see if she missed a joke of something. She glanced over at Shane who was drinking a bottle of beer talking loudly across the grill to Merle who was standing holding his youngest. They were all in deep whispering conversation now and then they all burst out laughing. Carol hated to think about what they were talking about. Sex probably.

Rick all but dragged Carl up to face Daryl. Daryl looked at him and said nothing.

'Ummmmm Mr Dixon..................... I'm really......... umm'

Daryl cut him off, 'Not now Carl, Sophia's over there,' He gave a head jerk in that direction. Carl just bolted.

'What's up with your old man?' Carl asked her, he nodded at Dylan. 'He didn't say nothing,'

'There's something wrong............ they sat me and Dylan down and told us there were no rules anymore and handed us car keys and $100 each and said we had to sort our own shit out,' Sophia said.

'There has to be a catch, there's always a catch,' Dylan said. 'I don't know, we gotta put gas in the car ourselves a roster or car pool I drop Sophia off before I go to college or something, if we want more money we have to put ourselves down for shifts at the garage,' 

'There are no rules, I can date or go out whenever, or see whoever or wear whatever,' Sophia looked at him, 'Dinners at 5 at the garage or 6.30pm at home, if I'm not there I don't get any.............. or we don't get any,' 

'I get free board, and whatever I want to do I can................ There is something wrong with this picture Soph................ what going on here?' Dylan asked.

'I don't know, you and I have no rules,' Sophia said, 'No rules, I don't have to do anything,'

'Sophia its a test............................. I think....... to see if we fuck up,' Dylan thought out loud. He watched the Rhee's arrive with Jasper. Everyone was clucking over him. He took off to have a hold and kiss. He spent a few minutes cuddling and holding him. He seemed to relax with Dylan again. Maggie and Glenn were so excited talking with everyone about how wonderful Jasper was. Dylan passed him back and picked up some food and went back to sit to talk more with Sophia and Carl.

'No................... I think............. I don't know, they're waiting for us to muck up and then tell us................. or we take it and run with it?' Sophia mused, 'Either way, Carl lets go down to the pond,'

Carl looked in Daryl's direction and at Sophia and shook his head. She had no rules but Rick had issued him a strict hands off Sophia policy. Rick told him that he had to really keep on the straight on the right side of the law. He told him that Sophia had led him astray twice now and he didn't want to issue a ban but if he wanted to see her he had to either bring her to their house or do things like going to the movies. He had to run it all past Rick or Sasha first. He just wanted him to achieve his goals.

 Rick called in Axel to back him up. Between the they managed to get the message across that Sophia could get him into trouble with the law. Daryl wasn't someone to mess with. He was confused because Daryl didn't look mad at him. Now Sophia and Dylan were telling him they had no rules and could do as they pleased. He'd promised Rick he would pass and behave.

'Come on, no one cares,' Sophia said, 'Dad doesn't care,

'I promised Rick.....................I promised him I was going to behave myself, 9 month's I turn 18 my record's wiped clean,' Carl told her, 'I need that to happen,'

Sophia looked at him and shrugged. She stood up and looked at Dylan.

'Wanna go for a walk?' she asked him. 

He looked around Maggie was feeding Jasper and it pinged his heart he nodded following Sophia down to the pond. He trailed her down past the pond and into the wooded area behind.

'What are we doing?' Dylan asked.

'Nothing,' Sophia just said she was just walking lost in her own thoughts, he trailed and followed lost in his. They walked for about 20 minutes before she sat down on a fallen log. He sat down on the fallen log looking at her.

'Why are they doing this?' Sophia asked, 'Doesn't he care about me anymore?'

'Dunno, your the one who fucked up, why am I being included, I just got here,' Dylan told her. 

He was pissed off with her for him being included in the no rule thing. He just got here, he'd really never had a family. He just gave up Jasper, Daryl wasn't his Dad but had been the only real male figure in his life for a while. He was bummed about it. He wanted the rules and for him to be growling him for mistakes. He showed up in the bar last night to bring him home. No one ever looked for him before. Sophia managed to stuff it up from him. They sat there for ages.

Back at the farm house the adults were hanging out eating. Carl was standing on the doc feeling like shit. Sophia hadn't come back.

'So the no rules plan!' Rick laughed, 'We haven't seen the no rules plan since Glenn was 17,'

'Shut up,' Glenn looked around shocked they remembered the no rules plan with him when he was a way ward druggie teen who was starved for attention. 

'Glenn was easy, ........................ to train,' Daryl glanced at his friend.

'Like a puppy wanting scratched,' Merle tossed out.

'Geeeze we supposed to be discussing your way ward kid, not my history,' Glenn looked around.

'You will have to remember when your little guy is climbing out windows,' Carol put in.

'Is it illegal to put bars on?' Maggie asked Glenn.

Judith come out of the house to see if they could have more potato chips inside. All the kids were inside eating and watching movies. Merle went with her to sort out the little kids and come back with his youngest who he passed back to Andrea.

'My girl going to be good,' Merle told everyone. 'I'm going to have a zapper set up on the boundaries of the house,' 

All the adults could see Dylan and Sophia walking back from the wooded area. Carol threw Daryl a look, he just shook his head and made a talking motion. She didn't know how she knew but for all their sakes she hoped he was right.

 


	30. Chapter 30

'Sophia come on!' Dylan was upstairs yelling, Sophia was still in the bathroom and she was mucking around everyone was gone. He'd slept in, Carol woke him up and he dozed back off to sleep. Carol had woken Sophia too, and then she had the two sets of twins to get ready. 

She rung Daryl to find out what to do with the two sleeping teens in the house and he told her just to bring the kids in to school, they were old enough to be left at home alone, they had a car and they could sort themselves out.

Dylan had woken with a start with the phone ringing, he was still sleeping in the den, he missed the call and looked at the clock it was nearly 9 am, his first class was in an hour and Sophia he heard stumbling around upstairs having woken from the phone also. He took a quick shower in the downstairs bathroom and as far as he knew Sophia was still running around upstairs trying to get ready.

'I'm coming............ just wait,' Sophia come out wrapped in a towel with one around her head.

'Please come on hurry, I've got a half hour drive,' Dylan told her, 'Just put something on, your late,'

'What?' Sophia looked at the clock in her room, 'Get out,'

Dylan unknowingly followed her into her bedroom waiting. He looked around at all her stuff, he hadn't been upstairs since he moved in, he wandered over picking up c.d's looking at them.

'Get out,' Sophia pushed him out.

He was mumbling sorry he lost his head for a minute checking out the c/d's without realizing she was practically naked. He then tried to spend the next ten minutes sitting on top of the stairs not thinking about her getting dressed, he took off down stairs and put his head in the fridge for some food. He looked at the clock, he could hear music coming from upstairs. He went up calling out to her.

She had the door open and was dressed putting on make up in the mirror.

'Come on, I'm going if you don't come now, do that in the car,' Dylan told her.

She ignored him and kept putting on make up slowly.

'Sophia I swear,' Dylan told her, she was ignoring her.

'I'm going!'

'No your not,' Sophia told him.

'Sophia I have an exam at 10,' Dylan couldn't be late, 'I'm going, grab your shit and lets go,'

'Yeah yeah,'

Dylan was gone, she looked out the window of her room and saw him driving down the road and he just left her there. She was mad at him for not waiting, surely he could make it up. She was already late for school and she wondered how she was going to get there. She knew her Dad wouldn't come. She wandered down into the kitchen and run her finger down the list of names.

Merle............. no

Glenn..............no

Rick?............ no

Uncle Shane...................... she picked up the phone and made a call. Ten minutes later Shane arrived at the farm to pick Sophia up to take her to school, clearly he hadn't got the memo not to run around after Sophia now that she had access to the car. She locked the farm house up behind her as Shane beeped his horn for her. She was thankful he come and he picked up up for school.

She put some water works on for him and he come into the school office with her with an excuse of why she was late. Being one of the local police officers they believed him, and he charmed the office ladies to wipe off her tardy. 

Sophia went off to her class with her pass and Shane left the high school knowing that Daryl would kill him for not being totally on board the 'No rules,' he just wanted her to go to school and not hang around the farm thinking up plan's on how to stick it to everyone. Plus he was fighting with Rosita again and it was an excuse to get out of the house. They were both working split shift and for the first time in weeks they both had a day off together.

He sighed and knew he should go home and try sort things out but in the end he drove around town for half an hour and then went home.

Dylan made it to his exam in time. He was so frustrated about everything, he found it hard to settle for it. He pulled out his wallet and pulled out the photo of Jasper from it and put it on the bench beside him. He sat and looked at him, he made him a promise he was going to make something of himself and it started with small exam's like this one. He was going to do it for Jasper.

He come out of the exam feeling better like he had finally achieved something, they had to pass it to a neighbour to mark, most were yes or no questions and he passed. He also had nothing else on for the rest of the day and was going to head back to the garage to tell Daryl he thought he did ok. He then worried if Daryl still wanted to know. He pulled into the car park and Merle waved to him from the side of a truck he was looking at. Carol was standing in the garage talking with Daryl about something he sat in the car for a minute wondering if he should tell them.

'How'd it go?' Carol come out followed by Daryl, she gave him a big hug, he just stood there.

'ummmmmm I think I did really good,' Dylan said, 'I think I did, I passed!'

'Well done,' Daryl reached out his hand and shook it, he held his hand and pulled him in for a hug too.

Dylan was beaming under the praise. Merle slapped his back and told him well done.

'I was running Late, Sophia wouldn't hurry, so I left her at the farm,' Dylan told them.

'She rung Shane,' Carol told him, 'If Sophia didn't come you needed to go, her responsibility not yours,'

Dylan nodded, he though they would be mad but they all seemed cool with it.

 


	31. Chapter 31

Daryl and Carol were standing in Carol's of the garage after dinner having a heated argument, they had sent Dylan home with the kids to sort out why they hung around waiting to see if Sophia was going to show up or not.

Carl Grimes had shown up after school without her and told them she wasn't coming because she had been kicked off the program by her Dad and she wasn't going to hang around the garage if she didn't have to.

She didn't show up for dinner, Dylan rang and told them she wasn't at home now they were arguing about what to do next. Daryl just wanted to go home and let her sort herself out and Carol wanted to drive around looking for her. It was getting onto 8pm way past the time they expected her to show up and she wasn't answering her phone. She was receiving the messages they could see that.

'I think we should just go, I'm done with all this Carol, she has to swim or sink,' Daryl told her.

'But.............. we can't just leave her,'

'We are not just dumping her on the side of the road, the twins managed to walk here from school so should a 16year old girl,'

'I'm going to ring Carl and ask him to text her to find out where she is,' Carol couldn't just go home.

'Fine!'

'Don't be like that,'

'Your not following the rules, we are still running around after her, she has to show up on her own terms or she's never going to do anything,' Daryl run his hand through his hair, 'This is her last chance, She's got to do this on her own if she's not going to work it out herself,'

Outside Rick Grime's house Carl was having his own set of problems with Sophia, he was leaning against his car looking at her shaking his head.

'I told you I can't,' he told her. 'I promised Uncle Rick I wouldn't misbehave,'

'So you won't take me?' she asked him again, she wanted to go to a party she heard about on the college campus but Carl wouldn't take her, she knew Dylan would squeal if she asked him.

'I can give you a ride home?' Carl offered, 'Your folks will be worried,'

'I don't have to go home, I can do what I want,'

'I think they meant you could do what you wanted but you had to let them know what your doing,' Carl suggested, 'I don't think they said they didn't care about you,'

'Well anyway I can go to the party if I want to,'

'Soph, you wanna come in watch a movie?' Carl offered, 'Or we can hang out in my room or something, Uncle Rick said you can come over whenever,'

'Your room?'

'Well yeah I got a tv and stuff,'

'K,' Sophia followed him into the house, they were greeted by Sasha and Rick who were in the process of putting one last little one to bed, Carl made a call D sign as he went into his room with Sophia to watch a movie no matter what she thought they could do in their room thats what he had in mind.

Rick made a phone call to Daryl letting them know she was with them and he would bring her home or they would put her on the couch for the night. Carol was relived about knowing where she was and someone was looking out for her. It was like someone switched a switch on Daryl about Sophia.

'She's safe,' Carol told him, 'Thank god, I want rules back Daryl I need the rules,'

'Soph needs the rules too but she's going to keep breaking them, its day one Carol, Dylan's already begging for rules, Carl Grimes begging for rules. Sophia just got to come to it in her own way,'

'Do you still love her?'

Daryl looked at Carol, he was pissed, more pissed at the statement of he might not love her, but he would do anything for Sophia. He loved her with his heart and soul since she come into his life, just at the moment he found it hard to like her because of all the stuff she was doing, being reckless.

He knew her statement could go either way it could blow up and they could have the end all arguments that would leave both of them upset and arguing for the rest of the week or he could just let it go.

'I love her, I just don't like her,' he told her, 'I just want her to ....................... be a good person and realize she doesn't have to do dumb stuff to make people like her,'

Carol looked at him realizing that because of Daryl they just dodged a huge argument. She leaned in and kissed him.

'I love you,'

'Well now, since.............. ummmmmm Dylan's getting the twin's to bed and Sophia is under the watchful eye of the law, how about you and me go into Merle's office and fuck on his office chair?' Daryl suggested.

It was a running joke that Merle had a brand new office chair and no one but him was allowed to sit on it. Even Andrea. Carol shook her head. Merle seemed to know if someone sat on his chair and they took turns at running in there and sitting on his chair as a bit of a joke.

'He probably has a camera in there to make sure no one sits on it,'

'Lets do it anyway,' Daryl said.

Carol being easily led followed her husband into Merle's office, and as soon as he pulled her onto his knee on the chair unbeknown to them Merle did have a camera set up to catch people sitting on his chair. Merle did it for a joke and he was going to be in for a big surprise when he turned it on in the morning to check.

 


	32. Chapter 32

Sophia finally rolled off the couch in the lounge at Rick and Sasha's she refused to go to school so now she was going to be sat down with Uncle Rick and Aunty Sasha and she wasn't going to move until she listened to what they had to say. She told them she didn't have to follow any rules, and she wasn't going to school, but at the same time she'd tried to get them to call in sick and they refused.

She rung her Dad to ask him he said no and she should get her butt to school.

She text her mother and she didn't reply.

Carol was walking though the school office to check her in box for any notices and information. The office lady asked if she was sick, Carol shook her head and told them there was nothing wrong with Sophia and she just refused to come to school.

'She's missed a lot of school Carol,' the office women told her, 'I'm going to have to put it through to the officers who chase these's kids, you might get a visit from the police,'

'Who does it?' Carol asked.

'Rick Grimes usually,' she told Carol.

'Do it, actually Rick Grimes should know where to find her,' Carol told her, she walked through to the staff room to ring Daryl.

Daryl was still at home running late he hadn't fed the animals or changed their water or anything so far. The kids had been asking about Sophia and Dylan was struggling with everything this morning. Daryl was feeding out hay, taking some time to stop and pet all the animals they had. He brushed the donkeys and the little ponies that they had been asked to look after. It was calming for him. He hadn't had any time alone for a while.

He talked to them, encouraged that they put on weight and he made a note to ring the man to come do the shoes for the horses. He looked around he loved the farm, he loved watching his kids running about and laughing, enjoying childhood different from his. He'd hung a tyre from the old oak tree a few Christmas's ago and they had had hours of fun on it every weekend ever since. They had another swing they had to climb up high on and the swing went high.

He'd tried it out himself after a couple of beers on a dare by Merle. Carol and Andrea come out to find them taking turns swinging on the swing. They had stood there with their arms folded, all their kids sleeping together under the one roof at the farm for Christmas and Santa and doing things the Dixon brothers were still learning about for them and for their children. 

Daryl finished up and walked through to feed the chickens some grain, Charlie hadn't got that far, he had changed the water. Everyone was out of sorts today and he noticed a tremor in his hands while trying to help Charlie pack his bags, he knew he could do it himself but he like to have Daryl with him doing stuff. In some ways he was like Daryl looking to him for his confidence and guidance. Daryl gave his love freely, he knew when he wasn't spending as much time with on of the kids, having two sets of twins close in age it was hard to keep it even. Charlie seemed to get more than the girls because he trailed along shoving up pony poop, or gutting a fish. 

Charlie tagged along with Uncle Merle too, he was interested in going hunting and doing whatever they were doing. He liked hanging out with his dad in the garage too. He was quiet, followed the rules and now just knew what tool he was going to reach for next. Daryl now was slowly getting him his own tool kit. Cameron wasn't interested so he was trying to figure out what he could be doing with her that was special. 

Then there was Jordan and Eden who were nearly at the stage where they wanted nothing to do with his doopy arse, he had to think of something to do with his girls. He'd had his make up done, nails, my little pony's now he was sure he was going to end up going shopping with them for clothes or something. He knew it, they knew it, they batted their eyelashes at him and he come home with three girls with their ears pieced last time he took them out alone. Carol wasn't too happy.

He was close to the house and fed out the chickens then called his old dog to come with him. He was walking up the steps and thought he better go take a quick shower then go into work. There was a flashing light on the answer phone. He pushed play.

'I'm going to fucken kill you when I catch you, you better be fucken running,' Merles voice come over the answer phone.

Daryl pushed play again to make sure the message was what he heard. He couldn't think what he had done to Merle, he went upstairs to take a quick shower. He looked at his hand, the tremor was there. He leaned back against the wall trying not to think about it. The stress with Sophia was getting to him. He knew it was starting, he'd been so good for so long. He took a few deep breathes and his body went from hot to cold to a numb feeling. Why was Merle so mad, it stressed him a little. 

His phone was buzzing in his pocket, he took his phone out of his pocket and said hello He listened to Carol on the other end of the phone. He shook out his hand trying to stop the tremor.

'I'm listening,' he told her.

'What do you think?'

'I don't know, Carol........................ yeah I will see you after school,' Daryl told her.

After he'd showered and arrived at work, he walked past Andrea who looked at him with a grin on her face.

'You better advoid Merle, he's gonna get you,'

'Why what did i do?' Daryl looked around.

'Check your emails.....................' She ducked back into her office before he said anything else.

Daryl tapped away on his computor going into his emails, Seeing one from Merle that said. 'Your going to die,' He clicked it.

He stared at his screen seeing him sit down on Merles chair and Carol straddled his lap. He knew how it was going to go. He got up and locked his office door and sat back down with a wicked grin on his face watching himself making love to his wife on Merles brand new chair. Now Merle was going to kill him, Carol was going to kill him, then kill him again for watching it. He dug around in his drawer for a memory stick to save it. He might just want to share it with Carol tonight if she kept him alive. He was careful to label it with a sticker so he knew then he unlocked the office door whistled as he walked back out to his truck.

Merle was standing there with a client so he couldn't do anything. Daryl took a bow and put the memory stick in his truck for later. Yip Carol was going to kill him.


	33. Chapter 33

'Yeah, I know where to find her,' Rick said into his cell phone, he hadn't had many calls to go find kids to get them back to school. When he did it was usually a big game of cat and mouse to find them. The one he had to find just fell into his lap. Actually onto his couch.

'So Sophia guess what!' Rick come into the lounge where she was bumming around.

'What?'

'Your coming with me to the police station where your going to be put into the system or you can get your arse back to school,' Rick told her.

'What you can't do that,'

'No but the state of Georgia can, and I uphold the law, Uncle Shane will be here in 20 minutes so I suggest you shower and get ready then the choice is yours, school or court,' Rick knew Daryl and Carol must just about be pulling their hair out. 

'Can you fix this?' Sophia looked at him, she got it now, she was totally freaked out. She knew this was the end of the road and her Dad had had enough, he wouldn't fix this for her, she hoped Rick or Shane could fix it.

'Go shower, Sasha left some clothes on our bed from the last time you were here, underwear and stuff. Get dress, presentable, I'll talk with Shane,' He pointed in the direction for her to go get her clothes. He felt like pulling his own hair out. Did they spoil her too much growing up that now she was a spoilt little princess. She couldn't really fix this without pulling herself totally into line.

Rick was thankful they had a bit of a rein in on Carl, he didn't want to know what would happen if he decided to follow Sophia around like some guys did. He was pleased Axel was now back in the picture working with him together they could get him through high school and into the young man he could become with their support.

Shane pulled into the garage car park, Daryl was still mucking around outside avoiding Merle who was still talking to a client. Shane was in  his police car, he knew he was here to talk  about Sophia. He shook out his hand to stop it from shaking and walked over to where Shane was getting out of his car.

'Hi,'

'Hey Daryl, want to talk to you about Soph,' Shane looked at Daryl his stance, his gaze went down to his hands, 'When did it start?'

Shane didn't miss a trick, he could tell Daryl was struggling.

'Ummmmm a few day's ago, its not that bad, stress, Sophia, the baby everything. I guess I'm better at helping other peoples kids more than mine,' Daryl dug into his pocket lighting a smoke, he was smoking more, and he felt like heading to the pub right now. He was tapping his foot on the ground. He turned around and leaned back onto the car a little.

'So Rosita and I been talking a little,' Shane started, 'What if we take Sophia for a bit and she live's with us, I'll get her to school, homework and stuff during the week and she comes home at the weekend until we get back onto an even keel?'

'Give her away?'

'No, Daryl we all know this is going to go badly she already got the school police after her for absences, we will take care of all of this. Help you, you help everyone, let us do this for  you, help  you out a little,' Shane tried again.

'She's going to think we don't want  her,' Daryl mumbled.

'No........... well she might, or she goes somewhere else, she's on her last chance, she's playing  you guys, let me, Rick's going to help too,' Shane told him.

'I need to ask Carol,'

'Ok put it this way, I'm going to pick her up, I either take her to the police station or I take her to your place pack her some stuff up and she comes lives with us for a bit,' Shane put it on the line. Daryl knew it was the end of the road, they had tried and failed. It was time to ask for help, he'd told so many other parents the same thing, he took a deep breath and nodded. 

'Ok, ok....................... do I need to sign something?' Daryl asked.

Shane nodded, 'Guardianship of Sophia, to me and Rosita, along with Rick and Sasha,'

'Four of you? Does Carol need to sign something?'

'She already signed, I saw her before I saw you,' Shane put the papers on the top of his car, he skimmed through reading them. He knew what they said, Shane signed them, Rosita had already signed them. He would get Rick and Sasha to sign when he saw them.

'So when do we get to see her?' Daryl asked.

'We will sort it out, weekends, she can come here after school when we are working but she will be with one of us every night,' Shane said, 'We won't stop  you seeing her, but she has to follow our rules, no more mucking around,'

'Ok,' Daryl shoved his hands in his pocket to hide them shaking.

'You need to tell Carol about that,' Shane pointed to his pocket.

He saw Merle had finished with his client and called him over. Merle looked from one to the other.

'Daryl and Carol just given guardianship of Soph to Me and Rick and our wives, Daryl's ...........' Shane stopped as Daryl started rocking on his feet a little chewing on  his shaking hand. 'Calm down Daryl breath a little huh,'

'I've got him, I got to talk to him about my office chair anyway,' Merle put his arm around him, he nodded to Shane, 'Ring me let me know what happens next with Sophia,'

He half got Daryl into the work shop and whistled for Zac to come help, together they got him into the family lounge onto the couch. Merle sat with him talking quietly with him. Zac went off to get Andrea. She come through with hot drinks, she rubbed his hands to try stop them from shaking. 

'Come on Daryl,' she said, 'Deep breaths,'

'I just......................... I just didn't know I'd fail her...................................' he said as he leaned forward and put his head in his hands, his shoulders shook as  he tried not to cry.

Across town Sophia was pitching a fit at Shane screaming at him. He and Rick were seated at the kitchen table, Sasha was nearby near the door incase she tried to flee.

'They can't have done that,' Sophia wailed, 'Give me away,'

'They didn't give you away Sophia, they asked for help, we going to help them,' Shane held a steady tone keeping it cool. Rick was more emotionally invested in Sophia since she held a special place in his heart since she was 5.  'You go to school, you do your homework, you don't climb out windows to go to parties, I don't take you to kiddie jail,'

'You wouldn't,'

'Try me,' Shane stood up, 'Right now, we go to the farm get your gear and we go set up a bedroom, and tomorrow, you go to school even if I have to walk you to every class myself in my uniform'

Shane's words had her thinking, she didn't want that to happen, she didn't want anything to happen. She didn't think her mum and dad would give up on her.

'They love you Soph, but they need help because your not playing by the rules,' Rick said.

An hour later, Shane and Sasha took her out to the farm to get some stuff she needed, school books, clothes. Her mp3 player. Her bathroom stuff, everything was being checked by Sasha before she put it in her bag.

'Sophia? Are you sexually active?' Sasha asked her.

'No,' Sophia looked startled at the question.

'Its ok if you are, or want to be, we need to do something about birth control, especially if your planning on doing something,'

'I'm not................... I don't know, maybe.................... I don't know,' Sophia didn't know, she was so confused,  she did know that kissing Carl last night he was more experienced than her and he could have easily swayed her.  'Maybe we can do something, I'm not planning on it but............. I'm going to be 17 so maybe,'

Sasha made a mental note to ban Sophia and Carl from having any doors shut in their house. She would have to warn Shane and Rosita, but if they wanted too she knew they would find somewhere. He had a car, it would be easy to do something. They grabbed their stuff and Sophia reluctantly followed her out to the waiting car knowing she had to behave to get home again.

 

 


	34. Chapter 34

Carol arrived at the garage at 4.30pm after she finished work and marking, she was tired and looked emotionally drained. Daryl's shakes had been steady all day and Merle called her into his office before she saw him.

'Daryl's not in a good way, he's got the shakes, and its only a matter of time before he has a full blown panic attack,' Merle told her.

She looked surprised because he'd been so good for such a long time and now with the drama of Sophia probably set him back a bit.

'OK, I'm going to take him home, we will both have a late start tomorrow,' Carol told him.

'Yeah, he don't need no loving though, he got enough of that in my chair last night,' 

'Wait? What?'

Carol's face flamed completely.

'Check your emails,' 

Merle walked off to supervise the teen's still left in the program. She found Daryl lying on the family lounge floor with their kids and two of Andrea's and Merle's playing a game of memory. He did look shattered and drained, it wasn't surprising at all.

'You ring someone?' Carol sat on the couch, she looked around the small room, it was homely with heaps of photo's of their families on it, it was not open for the kids on the program just Daryl and Merle's kids, they let Zac and Glenn potter around in there, if they wanted too, Dylan had been given the green light to enter as he pleased now also.

'Counselling? Yeah, tomorrow at ten,' Daryl moved off the floor and sat beside her on the couch. 'We going to make it? She going to forgive us?'

'I would say so she's just lost her way, maybe she will do what she's supposed to do without us trying to help, she will have to do it by herself................... Carl told me she was going to go to a college party but he managed to talk her out of it,'

'Christ,' Daryl looked at his kids and Merles wondering if they were going to have more teen drama with them, all the teens he knew had some problem or another. 'Come on lets go out to eat or something? Do something to keep our minds off things,'

They gathered up a bunch of kids a mixture of theirs and Merle's, Charlie didn't want to come because he wanted to do cool stuff with Uncle Merle and fix things, Merle said he would be fine with a swap and Judith headed out for dinner with Daryl and Carol. They gave the kids a handful of coins each to go play some of the games so they could talk without being interrupted.

'So I got this email,' Daryl told her, he pulled out his cellphone and opened up his email and pushed play to show Carol.

She sat there looking at the screen tapping it to make it stop, she kept making it louder so she started coughing while Daryl hit the pause button. She was mortified when she looked at the link that it was sent from. Sent from Merle's email.

'I can never go into work again,' she whispered from behind her hands.

'Nah we go in and do it again,' Daryl gave her a little smile. Carol shook her head, 'No? But you look hot as hell,'

He looked at his screen again and had it paused on her just as she was about to slide on him. 

'I might make that my screen saver,'

'Daryl I will kill you if you don't delete that,' Carol hissed at him, 'I thought you were supposed to be sad.'

'I am, but my tools say think of one thing that makes me happy and you riding my dick like that................. makes me happy,' Daryl whispered into her ear. 

'For crying out loud,' she hissed at him, he never had sex far from his mind, 'Delete it,'

'Ok,' He made a production of deleting the email, she squinted her eyes a little at him.

'You made a copy didn't you?'

'I can neither confirm or deny,' Daryl didn't look at her but around the room counting children to make sure they had them all, 'It's pretty good, you should watch it all, we could watch it tonight,'

'NO!'

'But I thought you wanted me to feel better,' Daryl glanced at her, he didn't want to tell her he'd made copies and was planing on making a DVD of it so they could play it on their tv in their room, or even thinking about asking her to make one that they knew they were making. She would just say no if he set up their tri pod in the bedroom or near their shower.

'I thought we were going to talk about Sophia?' Carol wondered how he was talking about sex.

'Well I figured if she's dumb enough to try escape from Shane's house or Rick's we couldn't have done anything else, if she behaves and tows the line, goes to school we all win, so right now I know where she is, she's safe, warm fed........................... I'm missing her but she's with family................. like we have Judy, we're looking after her, they love her, they will look out for her, I know it, here,' Daryl pointed to his heart. 'I gotta relax a little shake off the shakes,' he gave her a wink, she just shook her head, he always had one thing on his mind all the time.

Their dinner come and everyone was eating and all the girls were giggling, Judith was laughing with his girls and it struck him he hadn't seen her or Sophia giggle or laugh for a while now. Judith seemed to relax that Sophia wasn't there, she actually wanted to go somewhere with them now she knew Sophia wouldn't be there. Daryl hoped that by the weekend some sense some how would be with her again.

'Can we watch a movie when we get home?' Cameron asked her mother.

'Maybe, we will see, Dad and I have a movie we want to watch tonight too,' she winked at Daryl, he knew she was just teasing him a little.

'Can we see it?' Eden asked.

'No, its about car parts, and what goes where on a mac truck,' Daryl told her, Eden shook her head she didn't want to see that movie, no way she hated cars and trucks. 'I'm actually thinking about making my own car parts and Mac Truck movie,' he told Carol, she glared at him for his subtle comments in front of  her kids, she shook her head and mumbled 'No way'

 

 

 

 

 


	35. Chapter 35

They had their kids through their evening routines, hair washed supervised from outside the bathroom doors by Carol. Daryl run around feeding all the animals and run around the farm putting the water on timers. He had a plan, he'd talked to Shane and he had Sophia locked and loaded at the kitchen table doing homework, eating a sandwich and talking about what classes she had tomorrow.

Sophia realized her Uncles were not mucking around. She couldn't pull the wool over the eyes of her Uncles, they were serious about walking her from class to class and there was no crying or yelling would stop the from doing  it and they were the law, she had to do it.

He made his way into Eden's, Jordan's and Cameron's room to say goodnight where he got 20 questions about Sophia.

'I'm pleased she's gone, she was mean,'

'She broke my doll,'

'Is she coming back?'

'Are they keeping her, thats good,'

It seemed the girls didn't worry she was staying with Shane but Charlie was wondering where she was because she always spent a great deal of time every week with Charlie. Charlie and Sophia were close together, they shared secrets. Sophia always spent the time to look after him or teach him new things, she was always a little jealous of the twins and Cameron, but now she struggled to get it all together now.

He told them all they would see her at the weekend for a while but she would be staying with Uncle Shane and Aunt Rosita for a while. They didn't seem to mind or care they actually seemed more relaxed than he'd seen them in a long time. They were rolling around giggling with each other. Charlie was more somber and his twin headed off to his room sleeping in his room again, in her sleeping bag on the mattress on the floor. Both of them preferring to sleep close when one or the other was feeling a bit sad or stressed.

Dylan was down stairs sitting at the kitchen table trying to do some work for college. He looked up at Daryl as he come down stairs to lock up.

'I'm doing school work,' Dylan blurted out, 'I went and saw Jasper,'

'How is he?'

'He's drinking more and he likes Maggie singing to him,' Dylan said, 'They love him,'

'I bet they do, what's not to love about him,'

'I know but I'm bias,'

'We all are, we all love him,'

'We're bias................ Sophia's at Shane's?'

'You heard?'

'I got a frantic text from his bathroom asking me to come collect her,' 

'Thanks for not doing that, we need her to stay there for now, we going to work together so she makes it through high school, I need you to not pick her up or do anything without checking with Shane first,'

Dylan nodded and Daryl knew he knew what he was talking about.

'Ok, go to bed when your done, Carol and I are going to bed now to ummmmmmmmmmmm watch a movie,'

'Its 9.30,'

'I'm tired, Carol's tired, night kid,' Daryl told him and left him to it, he headed off upstairs.

Carol was in the bath when he got there, he stuck his head in the door. 'Sooooooooooooooo,'

'No,'

'Please?'

'God Daryl, no............. it will be too embarrassing,'

'What if I watch it and you shut your eyes?' Daryl looked hopeful, he moved about chucking off his clothes turning on the shower, moving about to wash the daily grime off himself, it was dark out, he oddly felt relaxed a little with Shane taking on Sophia that he could relax knowing that Sophia was under his watchful eye and unlikely to be out trolling the town and getting into trouble. Rick had a firm hold on Carl and Carol and him could go to bed and watch their movie that was provided by Merle.

He scrubbed himself down so that he was almost sparkling like a new pin.

'No Daryl,' Carol could see what he was doing in the shower, she turned the spa jets on and leaned back watching the view out the window. The stars were now out and the view of the shower wasn't to bad either. Daryl shook himself off staring at her in the spa bath.

'Well I'm going to watch it,' He grabbed a towel and stood there drying himself in front of her.

'No, come on it's too embarrassing, its not like a porn movie where they have lights on all your good bits and all your wobbly bits are hidden and those women haven't had 5 babies and a stomach full of stretch marks,'

'Well come watch with me anyway, I like your wobbly bits, point them out to me,'

'Geeze,' Carol climbed out of the bath pulling the plug following him into their bedroom he had brought up the family video recorder with him and he had the dvd player set to go. He was way off base if he thought he was filming anything but the stars outside.  She dried herself off looking around the room, Daryl was getting it sorted.

'Fine, but go and see if the kids are asleep,' Carol told him, he pulled on sweat pants and run down the steps going through the bedrooms asking the kids if they wanted sweets and ice cream. No one took up on his offer and he knew they were all sleeping, he run up the stairs two at a time.

'All ships in port, everyone is docked and asleep, can I push play now?' He hit play and raced with the remote to the bed climbing in beside her.

'Oh my god, this started right as you sat on the chair.......................... look at the size of my bum,' Carol whispered.

Carol put her hands over her face as she pulled off her own top on the screen and rubbed Daryl's cock between her breast. It was like a really bad porn movie, Daryl was rock hard watching it. Carol buried her head into his neck, he looked down at her.

'You know we could make a better one? And we could get a real close up of my dick going in,' He glanced at her. She covered her face again and groaned.

'No your not talking me into that,' She told him.

'Well my birthday's coming up................ so we could make a little something,' Daryl suggested. Carol tapped him on the shoulder suggesting it was never going to happen. Ever. She really meant it this time, she wasn't going to be tricked into it, ever. 

 

 


	36. Chapter 36

'I have to get it signed by every teacher? At school............ every day?' Sophia was sitting in the police car a block away from school.

'Yes and its coded, they have a different code every day to put on it so I know you didn't fake it, now go to school or I'll do a moon walk and break dance in the hall,' Shane told her, Rick was chuckling away to himself about codes and stuff Shane was making up. Sophia looked to scared to question him. 'They will ring me if your not at school you don't want me and Rick to come in there. We will slow dance in the hall by your locker,'

'I didn't think you could be more embarrassing than Dad, but you are,' Sophia grumbled.

'Also,  your to go with Carl to the garage after school, we won't finish till 4,' Rick told her, 'They are expecting  you, don't ask for money or stuff,'

'Fine,'

'I mean it Sophia, I'm trusting you and Carl to go there and behave yourselves, going and just staying there.' Rick warned her, 'If you don't do it, its off to the police station to sit in a interview room until I finish, this way you can spend some time with your folks and with Carl if you want to, or you come to the police station,'

'Fine I'll go with Carl,'

They dropped her off with  her notebook to have signed in every class and they laughed as they left knowing that she wouldn't test them today because she didn't know about the fact she didn't have to pick up codes and things. They wondered if the teachers would just play along when she asked for her codes. 

Sophia hadn't really enjoyed her first morning at Shane's up at 7am. He had a scheduled written down for her. She had to be at the table for breakfast by 8am . She had to be dressed showered and everything within the hour. He'd heard from Daryl she took ages in the morning but they gave her an hour. 15 minutes to shower and it left her 45 minutes to flop around and do her makeup which was checked by Rosita and lipstick had been wiped off and taken from her because the colour shocking red wasn't good for school, replacing it with a pale colour and neutral tones, her eyeliner had been wiped off as the blush that she had used a  heavy hand with.

Sophia hadn't gone as far as to rage at them but she did lose it when Shane went through her school bag to check her stuff. She flipped out when he pulled out a tampon holder and was toying with it in his hands testing its weight, he knew it didn't hold tampons. Sophia told him to leave her personal stuff alone. Her freak out made him open it. He hadn't realized a small container for tampons could hold such a large amount of make up. This is how she was getting her make up out of the house.

'Put tampons in this or I put the lot in the bin,' Shane warned her handing her the now empty container, Rosita shook her head. They basically shook her down, taking her phone and checking her jacket pockets. Rosita suggested Shane check the linings of her jacket and he come out with more stuff she shouldn't be taking to school and she had enough money on her to by a bus ticket across state.

'But I need my phone,' she cried when they put it on top of the fridge.

'Why?' Rosita was fully backing Shane with getting Sophia back on track.

'Just in case of emergencies,'

'Well if there is an emergency at school like a fire they will call the firemen and the police, I will come, or they will ring Rosita to come get you if your sick,' Shane told her. 

'Sophia you don't need your phone, if you don't have it you can't make plans for someone to come pick you up,' Rosita told her.

'But,'

'We know you tried to bully Dylan, and Carl, no phones until you can use it wisely,' she told her.

'Are you kidding me, they blabbed?' Sophia had a wait till I see them look on her face.

'Well no, I put a program on your phone so all your texts comes through to my phone also, and don't even think about using someone elses, because if I find out I will come to the school and hold a special assembly about not letting you use other peoples phones,' Shane wasn't mucking around, he promised he would turn Sophia around, he was going in the best way possible so that Sophia could see how good she actually had it at home before all the stuff she started doing. 

Sophia quickly realized she had been out smarted and out played by her Uncle Shane. She knew he would come to school, she didn't want that the only choice was at this stage was to follow his dumb rules until she found a breach in one that she could break just to prove a point.

At the end of the school day Sophia had a notebook signed by all her teachers, she couldn't break the code they were weird and there was no pattern to any of it. She could only think that each teacher had their own set of codes for Shane. She was still staring at it when she headed towards her locker, Carl was leaning against it. He was being flirted with by some girls who were around.

He had his short sleeves on and his leather jacket in his hands. Books under one arm waiting for her.

'I just need to get some stuff,' she told him. she shot looks of daggers to the girls flirting with him and they fled, they were a little scared of Sophia. Carl rolled his eyes because she was a little jealous about what she had seen with going on with girls tossing their hair around him.

He moved to the side to let her into her locker and swap some books around. She looked at him wondering what he was going to say.

'How's things at Shane's?' Carl asked. 'And don't be jealous,'

'You mean the jail master? He's got this thing on my phone and looked through my tampons,' Sophia complained, Carl raised his eyebrows wondering if there was more to the story. 'I mean, there was no tampon's in there, just makeup, but .............. they took all my money,.......................................... I'm not  jealous, if you want to flirt with skanks you can,'

'What were you planning on doing buying a bus ticket?' Carl asked. 'I got one of those things on my phone now too thanks to you.................... I'm not flirting with skanks either,'

She locked her locker and slipped her hand in his. He glanced down at it, he'd been keeping her at arm's length and holding hands at school was going to announce they were going steady or something. Something he had been avoiding because she'd been so crazy doing stuff that was drawing attention to herself and he didn't need any more attention drawn to him. He liked kissing her, talking with her and doing stuff with her. He just worried a little about her Daddy, now he had to worry about Uncle fucken Shane.

'If we going to walk out of here holding hands, you better start behaving yourself, I don't need any more shit,' he warned her.

'I'm not going to.................................... ' Sophia left it hanging, she let his hand go they were standing staring at each other, kids were walking around them, not really even looking at them

'Sophia I mean it, I'm on probation,' Carl run his hand through his hair, 'I don't need to be dragged into any of your hair brained schemed like driving across state lines, or anything,'

'Carl, I mean what can I do, I've got nothing, I don't even have my phone anymore,' Sophia looked at him, he sighed and couldn't help looking at his cute girlfriend with a little bit of lust because he did like her. He hadn't kissed her in days. He was going out with her, just they been keeping it on the down low, maybe holding her hand walking out of school would stop other girls from following him around a little. He didn't even know how he was going to spend any time together, he didn't think he wanted to cross Shane Walsh or Daryl Dixon. 

'Come on then,' He held his hand out, and she slipped her hand in then they walked out of the school to his car. He put his books in the back of his car, they had to go to her parents place but they were not expecting them yet, he had a handful of idea's they could do in 20 minutes and it involved the back seat of his car, he wondered if he could talk her into parking for 20minutes so he could get his hands on her. He kept glancing at her while he was walking, people looked at them holding hands, it would be around the school grape vine in 1/2 an hour.

'What do you want to do? We got about 20 minutes?'

'Drive around? Park somewhere, talk?' she raised her eyebrows she leaned across and kissed him.  He knew she didn't want to talk, he didn't either he climbed into the car, they both buckled up and headed just out of town where they parked under a old tree.

He half turned in his seat to see what was happening, and before he knew what was happening, she climbed over into his back seat, telling him to come with her. He didn't need a second invite and was at her side quickly, hand moving fast to touch each other. Lips were locked and he was working his hand up her top when there was a tap on the window.

'You have to be kidden me,' Rick Grimes pulled open the door, he was in uniform. 

Carl moved as far away from Sophia as quickly as possible, his hand got tangled and caught in her shirt. Sophia's face was burning.

'See my day just keeps getting better and better,' Rick mumbled.

'We weren't doing anything wrong,' Carl mumbled, 'Just kissing,'

'Move yourselves into the front seats, get moving,' Rick told them. 

Sophia moved out of the back seat straightening her top and sat in the front seat. Rick indicated for Carl to come out to talk.

'I realize, you guys like each other and stuff, but we are trusting you to go take her to the garage while we work,' Rick told him, 'I mean I don't want anyone kissing her, or you kissing anyone but your going to do it so maybe you organize to go to the movies and make out in the back row like everyone else. Back seats of cars can lead to unexpected surprises, and unwanted surprises,'

'I'm not going to have sex in the back of the car in 20 minutes we have between school and the program,' Carl moaned, he covered his face with his hands, 'for crying out loud, really the sex talk, I'm too old for the sex talk, I've had sex before,'

'With?'

'No, but.......................... Uncle Rick............... can we not do this right now,' Carl kept glancing towards the car wondering how much Sophia was listening too, he hadn't told her he'd slept with other chicks, he didn't really want too, she might figure it out he wasn't innocent. He'd been around the block more than once.

'Get going, don't pull this shit again,'

'You can't pull me up for kissing my girl,' Carl told him, 'I know my rights,'

He went back into the car to head back to town, now they were about 15 minutes late.  He stuck his head out the window, 'Uncle Rick you made us late, fix it,'

Rick stood looking at his nephew and shook his head and rung the garage to let them know they were running late and it was all his fault.

 

 

 


	37. Chapter 37

Carl pulled up in the car park, leaned across and kissed Sophia. It was her first time seeing her folks since the big shift. She looked pissed and grumpy. He really didn't know what he was doing, she always managed to have some emotion on her face. He couldn't stop liking her even when she was being the biggest pain in the arse, like she was at the moment and he just knew she was going to be a problem or cause a scene with her parents. He really didn't want to be involved but he saw the hurt in her eyes and knew what it was like to think  you were not wanted. She was anything but not wanted. Her parents had in his option been bending over backwards to try straighten her out. 

At least she was with someone who was looking out for her. His uncle was looking out for her that was clear when he found them in the back seat of his car. It was so frustrating that they were old enough to be doing things that they wanted to be doing, yet they were sneaking around to kiss. Tomorrow he would probably have to pull her under the bleachers or something just to have a talk away from prying eyes. He wasn't the type to make out with someone up against the locker. He'd get himself in all sorts of trouble for that too. His hands would probably forget they were at school.

'Don't give them a hard time........... please......... I've still want to do the program,' Carl told her.

He reached out and squeezed her hand, she looked defiant, and annoyed everyone was watching her, she could feel eyes on them now. She looked up and Axel was walking towards the car because they had not got out yet and he was part of the 'Just Checking' team. She rolled her eyes and moved closer to Carl wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him in for a kiss. She really didn't care if his Dad was standing there, she wanted to kiss him before she got out of the car. He tugged at her hand so she would let go, he was kissing her back but he wanted her to let go and go inside.

'This shit keeps getting better and better, behave and we will go to the movies Friday night,' Carl suggested, Axel tapped on his window, Carl made a go away signal to him and he just stayed standing there watching them whispering back and forward..

'Are you actually bribing me to be a good girl?'

'No, I wanna make out, and we being tracked or something, please?'

'They kicked me out of  home,'

'That's really not true, you kept breaking the rules and they now have you living with your Uncle and Aunt who love you, you folks love you, my Ma................... well she really didn't care that much, now I've got a Uncle and Aunt...................... a Dad.................... I never had so many people wanting me to do well, Come on Sophia you can do this,' 

Sophia pushed open her door getting out. She reached in to grab her books, 'You have to ask Uncle Shane if I'm allowed to go to the movies,'

She walked through the garage, she spotted her Dad, wiping his hands on a rag started walking over towards her. She stared at him and shook her head knowing he wanted to give her a hug, she pushed through the heavy doors into the other area. She stepped over baby gates and walked past a crawling baby in the hall and stuck her head in the office of her mothers. Only Andrea was in there.

'I'm here,' She told her.

'Good, go sit in your Dad's office until Shane gets here, I know your Dad wants to talk with you,' Andrea told her.

'I don't want to talk to him, he signed me away,' Sophia told her.

'Actually I did,' 

Sophia turned seeing her mother behind her holding the baby that Sophia  had passed on her hip. They stared at each other, Sophia's eye's opened when she heard this. Her mother took the baby over to Andrea, and then headed down to Daryl's office and held the door open for Sophia to follow her. Sophia moved her feet slow, she didn't know if she would get away with running if they would just call Shane and he would take her down to the police station to sit there like a dork all afternoon, he would probably cuff her to a chair or something. She had heard stories about other kids he'd been in charge of getting to school.

She sat down on Daryl's chair and indicated for Sophia to sit down. She sat down and had her book bag on her knees, she looked around his office, it smelt like him and had family photos from the time she was about 5 scattered here and there around the walls. One big happy family now they got rid of her. She didn't know why she was here it was clear she was going to get a scolding from her mother and she really didn't need it. Being picked up from Rick's place taken out to the farm to pack her stuff had been enough to know what they wanted.

'I rung Shane, I asked for this because.................. because your Dad couldn't take it anymore, he was trying and trying and it wasn't working,'

It was clear to Carol that Daryl's mental health was slipping even though he hadn't said anything to her. She saw the rock, his hands, the biting of his lips. He had chewed his fingernails down and chewed at the sides so bad she was waiting for them to start bleeding. She didn't know if she could bring him back from rock bottom again. Having someone else help with Sophia was the only option they had left now that all Daryl's ideas and plans had failed.

'You wanted me gone?'

'No, I want you to live your life to the fullest, I don't want you to make the mistakes I did, or have to go through what Dad did............. I asked Shane not Dad, he's devastated about this, Dad didn't choose this, I did. I had it organised, there was not other choice in the end, you missed too much school, the school called the police to get you in school and now its either shape up or ship out time. You either do it alone, get a job, a place to live, work don't go to school support yourself or.................. stick with the program that Uncle Shane's working out.'

'He didn't stop you from kicking me out,' Sophia threw at her mother, 'I'm going to sit outside and wait for my jailer to come pick me up,'

Daryl come to the door just in time to hear Sophia's little rant then Carol watched her leave storm past her Dad to go outside wait for Shane to come. 

Daryl come into the office, Carol had tears rolling down her face in silence. His hands were shaking and he went to the office file and went right to the back under the title 'Trucks and Wheel parts,'. He pulled out a file, and looked at Carol she waved him on knowing what he was doing. He walked down the hall out to where he knew she would be sitting. The same spot she'd sat every time she been pissed off at any one.

He stood in front of her, he was holding his own records. He'd put them together when a bad case of child abuse come through the program and the boy told him he had no idea. He was a business man with money he didn't know how this boy felt. He stood waiting for her to see him. He knew she was not looking at him. He could wait. He tucked the file under his arm and lit a smoke.

'Mum hates it when you smoke,' she finally broke the silence.

He looked at her handed the files and walked back inside. He never said a word but to leave her looking at them, she didn't know what they were but she knew she was never allowed to look at any of the files from his office, the fact he given them to her meant that they were important to him. Some thing that he wouldn't normally share with anyone. He left her sitting there with them on her lap. She opened the file and saw a photo of her Dad as a young boy. Then she started reading. She was only on the first page when Shane pulled up. He waved to Merle, Sophia climbed into the front seat of his car, eyes still on the file.

'What's that?'

'Its ..................... Dad............. gave it to me,' Sophia whispered. She shut it and looked out the window watching her Dad walking around with Cameron trying to get her interested in something he was doing in the garage. The program had started and there were her sisters and brothers, lapping up the time with their dad. She was being driven off with Shane to spend her night with them. 

'Carl asked me to the movies on Friday night can I go?' Sophia blurted out.

'Maybe, we will see, you can invite Carl over though,' Shane told her, 'Bedroom's are off limits, but you can have him over hang out,'

'Sounds great,' it didn't nothing sounded worse than spending time with anyone under the watchful eye of Shane and Rosita. Nothing was going right for her. In the end when they pulled up outside Shane's place, he gave her back her phone, warned her again he would be monitoring calls and texts. She put the phone on the dresser and her book bag on her desk, she looked around. Rosita had been in there trying to make it nice like a bedroom with girl stuff in there. A new bedspread and pretty trinkets that she knew would be Sophia's tastes. 

Sophia walked around listening to her ipod before eyeing up the folder lying on her bed. She knew it was about her Dad but she didn't know what. She could remember him telling her not to cry loud and hide in small places. Not to scream at him and some other things, it was a long time ago. She'd grown up seeing the scar's on his body but couldn't remember how he got them. 

He had scar's and tattoos, his favourite were his kids names on his wrist, they all loved to trace their own mark on his body. She loved her Dad and her mum, the folder finally got the better of her and she flopped on the bed and opened it again. His face as a child, she flipped through, seeing photos and files and doctors statements, she flicked back to the start to make sure she had the right file. All this couldn't have happened to her own Dad? 

She traced a finger down a photograph of a ripped back covered with scars. A tiny body with ribs sticking out. The front view was worst because she had to see her eyes. She couldn't help let out a sob, her throat burning. This is why he was the way he was, so gentle, kind, helping other kids, why he wanted the best for her and she'd behaved like a brat. She was still crying silent tears when there was a knock at her door, she managed to croak a 'come in,'

'I ............... ummmmmmmmm I.......... just thought you might have some questions,' Sophia looked up to see her Dad was there. He was there............. he was there to talk with her to answer her questions.

 

 

 


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are heading off the path a little into Shane and Rosita area.

Daryl was lying on his back listening to Sophia talk and asked him questions, he had his head of her pillows and she was lying back the other way with her head hanging off the end of the bed asking him if he would like to eat peanut butter and sardines?

They had talked really talked for first time in a year, he'd told her what he could remember about his abuse and why he was the way he was, she'd gone through the file bit by bit with him, both lying on their stomach's on the bed, finally they began to play a game of what the foulest thing they could think of eating.

'Yeah, I think I would,' Daryl answered her. 'Kiddo, its getting late, ya mama will lock me out,'

Sophia was beginning to understand why he didn't want her to fail. He'd been through the worst time ever and she'd been nasty to him, she couldn't help herself sometimes.

'Can I come home?'

'Nah, you have to stay with Shane and Rosita, we signed the papers to make them look after you, its all legal,' Daryl looked down at her, 'Doesn't mean we don't love ya, we do, we need you to be safe and Shane and Rosita can help ya more than I can at the moment,'

'If I promise to be good?'

'Ya already done that, this time maybe when you come back you will think about things some more,' Daryl rolled off onto the floor onto his hands and knees stretched a little and stood up. 'I'm gonna see you at the weekend ok, but you ring us if you want to talk about things, we love you,'

He gave her a hug and told her to get ready for bed and he would ring her tomorrow or she could ring them. Sophia watched out the window as he drove away, headed into the bathroom before going to bed.

What Sophia didn't see was her Dad struggling to get the key's into the truck, he could feel his heart beating out of his chest, he took a breath in and fiddled with the sterio, he could see she was watching him out the window and it took all he had to drive off out of sight and pull over putting his head on the steering wheel trying to get his shit together. He got out of the drivers seat and stood on the side of the road with shaking hands lit a smoke and sat in the gutter smoking and thinking. Car's were passing him slowing down, he didn't care if they thought he was a bum on the side of the road, he needed to get his shit together somehow. He didn't hear footsteps coming along the street behind him.

'Daryl?' 

He looked over his shoulder seeing Rosita standing there with her arm's folded over her chest. Watching him he guessed to see if he was in full panic mode or easy to pull out panic mode. She come over and sat beside him. She pulled him to her and rubbed his back, he let it go and started to cry. He'd held his shit together for ages, hadn't cried in years and now was blubbing like a baby on her shoulder.

'Its ok, she's going to be ok,' She kept rubbing his back making shushing noises while he tried to calm down and managed to get himself under control. She kissed his cheek, 'I promise I'm gonna look after her,'

Daryl looked at her and nodded, he was in the process of digging out another smoke to light when he heard a cough behind them and Shane was standing there, he didn't look really happy to see them like that. Daryl moved slightly wiping his face.

'Really............. your cracking onto Daryl now?' Shane looked like he wanted to hit something. His eyes were flashing with jealousy seeing his wife with her arm around Daryl and he just seen her kiss him.

'Its not like that,' Daryl tried to say, it was too late Shane had stalked off back to the house. Rosita just sat there looking in the direction he took. 'I'm really sorry,' Daryl muttered.

They sat and watched Shane get in his car and drive off, he was fuming.

'Its ok, he'll drive around for a bit, listening to old rock songs and realize he over reacted,' Rosita said, 'He just................. I mean......... I guess he never really forgave me for cheating on him 6 years ago, he thinks I'm going to do it again, I don't even know why I did it, or,'

 Daryl put his hand up, 'You don't need to tell me, I don't need to know, I've had my own share of marriage problems over the years,'

'Really you and Carol always seem to be so in love?'

'We are............ doesn't mean we don't have problems, remember that time she left me for 6 months, then one other time we nearly went a year without having sex when the kids were small.................... even now we still have to work on it, especially with my quirks,'

'A year?'

'Hmmmm, don't tell her I told you, I shouldn't really talk about our sex life you know,' Daryl admitted, also Carol would kill him, throttle him in fact if she ever found out.

'Shane's the reason we can't have kids,' Rosita blurted out glancing at Daryl, she put her hand over her mouth, 'Don't tell him I told you,'

'What? No I won't, what?'

'He's got a zero sperm count, he won't ............. I mean I suggested getting donated sperm he won't but he wants kids, it got so much then............. he shut me off emotionally for 2 years and barely spoke to me............... then I had kissed someone and he found out,' Rosita blurted, 'I never told anyone, he wouldn't ................ he didn't touch me for 2 whole years, I kissed with one guy one night, it wasn't an affair, I got drunk and made a mistake, I kissed someone and I told him, he's never going to forgive me he still thinks I slept with him but I didn't,  I was with the girls I work with and I kissed someone, they pulled me out of the pub so fast, I never did............................... I didn't I come home and told him and now every time he thinks I'm going to have sex with who ever, I've slept with 3 guys in my whole life,'

'Wait what? I thought...................'

'He told everyone I was having an affair and I wasn't, I made the girls promise not to tell............... then a month later he told everyone I slept with someone I didn't,'

Daryl put his head in his hands, 'For fuck sakes, all this time we all thought you were having affairs and you weren't,'

'Because I suggested we ask someone to donate sperm for us, you know, try it at home to see if it worked,' Rosita looked at Daryl, she threw her hands up in the air, 'He wouldn't and was embarrassed and now he's jealous as hell all the time any time he sees me talking to someone,'

'I ain't got no sperm,' Daryl muttered, 'Merle's had his junk cut too, I mean I still have shit up there, but it don't come out the end no more, if you want it its yours ..........they told us they can still take sperm out if we change our minds and stuff, I'm ok with that, Carol should be as long as its not knocking her up,'

Rosita put her hands over her face and moaned with embarrassment, 'I mean.................. I brought home all these files of guys profiles to look through, he won't.............. I want a child, but........................ I want Shane more,'

'You told him?'

'Course I told him, every day, he just can't get past it,'

'You want me to talk to him?'

'If you do it in a way of not throwing me under the bus,'

'Yeah I won't go handing him a cup of sperm or nothing,' Daryl sighed, he did kinda feel better, he lit another smoke and Shane's car come slowly back down the street, they watched him pull into the driveway and come out looking at them. They stayed sitting in the gutter looking along at him, he finally come along shuffling his feet a little looking at them.

'Sorry, I might have over reacted,' Shane said, Daryl nodded, Rosita stood up and walked over giving him a hug and kiss.

'Daryl was having a panic attack, you might wanna sit and chat with him for a bit, tell him really whats going on,' Rosita kissed him again, 'I love you, remember that,' And she left him to go sit with Daryl and chat.

 'She told me,' Daryl said as he sat down.

'Told you what?'

'Everything................ ya sperm, and she didn't have an affair you made it up,' Daryl glanced at his friend, 'Everyone blocked her out because you said that and were weird around her thinking she was cheating on you and she never did, how could you do that to someone you're supposed to love?'

'Don't know now,'

'She wants a baby,'

'Yeah I can't give her that,' Shane stood up and walked around, 'Is all right for you you just hung your underwear next to Carol and knocked her up,'

'Can .................. do you.................. I mean..........'

'What?'

'You want mine?' Daryl run his hands though his hair looking up at his friend, 'I mean I have to check with Carol, but .............. if she say's yes do you want mine?'

'You been spayed though,' Shane said.

'Yeah but they can still get it out if they want it, it just .................. I mean its still producing up there, its just not coming out the end, I can go get them to take some out and give it to you guys,'

'You would let them inject a needle into your balls for me?'

'If you wanted it? Want mine I would, if you tell everyone you lied, you would offer yours to me right?' Daryl shrugged, 'I mean your helping with my daughter................. technically she isn't mine, even if they are not your biologically, you still love them, your still their dad.............. doesn't mean you wouldn't walk over broken glass for them,' Daryl said, 'Ask Glenn, ask him what he would do right now for Jasper, I bet if you told him he had to drink a cup of ................. I don't know something gross, ........... whale sperm and sardines to keep Jasper safe he would do it,'

'Whale sperm and sardines,'

'Anyway think about it, cos I will need to stop having sex with my wife and you need to track her cycle, let me know, shit I bet if you want Axel's he would give it to you,'

'I don't want Axel's.................' Shane gave a wee laugh wondering how Carl wasn't a red head.

'Ok, let me know, I'm going to talk with Carol ok, if she says no you might have to ask someone else or go though your files,'

Daryl got back into his truck driving home, it was a lot later than he expected. Carol was awake, he checked all 5 kids in his house including Dylan who was reading a book for college, he gave him a wave as he headed up stairs to go shower, hopefully talk Carol into some bedtime fun. She was awake reading, she looked up when he come in and smiled.

'It went ok then you have been gone ages,'

'Yeah I had a panic attack then Rosita helped me through it,' Daryl told her, her eyes narrowed a little, she really didn't trust Rosita 100% because of her rumoured affairs, 'I have a story for ya,'

Carol looked up put her book down to listen to him, Daryl sat on the side of the bed to tell her.

 

 


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah its just smut, feel free to skip it.

'So Shane's a big fat liar liar, and you want to give Rosita your sperm?' Carol leaned back on the pillows listening to his story. She was mad that she had been not as friendly towards Rosita when she first heard about her affair and she knew they hadn't invited her some places because of that fact. She really wanted to throttle him herself. Everyone thought she cheated when it was really Shane's penis problems that had him putting the blame on her.

She did wonder because Rosita never really ever looked at anyone else but Shane even while Carol was living with Rick and Shane when she left Daryl all the years ago. Rosita was there for her every night when she cried herself to sleep. Rosita had been there for her at night along with Sasha, Rick and now Shane she wanted to kick in the nuts because he tainted her friendship with Rosita hiding his own problems.

'Ugh huh, yeah I guess,' Daryl moved about stripping off to go have a shower. He chucked his clothes into the basket and walked naked into the bathroom, Carol watched him walking in there and still talking to her about the conversation he had had with them tonight, 'I mean if your ok with it?'

'What do you mean?' 

Carol moved out of bed, she'd taken a shower before he got home but she was always up for watching him shower. In fact it was one of her favourite pass times. She could spend all day watching him scrub himself down, he looked over at her watching him as he was scrubbing his feet. He looked her up and down in her shortie p.j's and  thinking she would look better naked in the shower with him.

They stood there in a stare off as he washed other parts of his body, her eyes drifted down to his dick, looking at it. He glanced down at her looking down at him. He took extra care of it washing it slower than he normally would, she started blushing and biting her lip watching, she was waiting for him to finish and he could tell by the look in her eyes she was probably going to jump his bones before he was dry.

'You ain't got nothing better to do?' He gave her a little nod down to his dick, she shook her head and give him a little smile. 

'Not really, tell me more about how you going to deliver this sperm to Rosita, you're not personally delivering it are you? Because I do have an issue with that,' Carol told him, he narrowed his eyes looking at her. He shook his head in a no.

'Hmmmmf, no, I said you gonna decide if its ok with me giving it to them,'

'Its yours,'

'But if could turn into another baby,'

'As long as its not making a baby in me I'm fine with that, as long as you .................... I mean you going to be ok with a baby biologically related to you, living with them,' Carol asked him. 'You ok with that?'

'I'm ok with that, I mean its not really my baby, its not like we have to raise it,' Daryl said.

'Ok, I'm ok if you're ok,'

'I'm ok, come in here,' Daryl gave her a little come here nod.

'I just showered before you got here,'

 'Come on, its not going to hurt you showering twice,' Daryl told her, Carol shook her head, he snagged her wrist and pulled her into the shower. Carol squealed and he pulled her right into the shower. She had water pouring over her, her clothes sticking to her. He put his face between her breast. Her nipples were hardening under the cotton fabric he pulled her away from him for a minute to he could look at them, even after all this time he still got off looking at her chest. He bent down again putting his mouth around her nipple mouthing it through the fabric.

'Daryl,' Carol giggled a lot, he was trying to undo her buttons they were stuck swollen in the water. He tried to lift  it over her head, he couldn't. She was starting to panic a little it was getting tight. He tried to move it off her, he tugged down the boxer shorts part of her p.j''s but then they were both struggling to get her top off.  'Just rip it off,'

'You want me to rip your top off?'

'There isn't anything sexy about this Daryl,' Carol could see he was getting harder, 'Just rip my top off,'

'Carol you ready?' He ripped it off, Carol could tell that he was really turned on more than he should be ripping her top off, he moved quickly in to kiss her newly exposed breast, 'Fuck, Christ that was hot,'

'It doesn't take much to get you turned on,'

Daryl crushed his body into hers kissing her again, his mouth was on hers he never got sick of it. His hand went between her legs stroking her a little, 'You're so fucken hot,'

He turned her against the wall, kissing her between her shoulder blades and down her spine. She knew what he wanted, something that he wanted whenever he was super turned on or on his birthday. Kissing down to her arse, he turned her around opening her up kissing her clit. 'Fuck,' he moaned, water was pouring everywhere, all over his head, all over her. 

'Come to bed,' he moaned as he moved up her body again.

'Hmmmmm why?'

'Cos, its your wifely duties,'

'Wifely huh?'

Carol crushed her mouth against his, he reached up behind her to turn off the shower. He grabbed some towels and her hand to pull her with him to bed. His mouth crushed hers as he pushed her gently onto the bed.

'Do you have any other clothes that need ripped off your body?' Daryl asked her, his mouth was moving all the way down her body moving down towards her feet, he glanced at the clock and looked a little shocked at the time, they needed to get up in around 7 hours. He turned the lamp on because he wanted to see her.

'Hmmmmmmmmm I could go through my old clothes,' she whispered to him, he was on the floor kissing the instep of her feet slowly making biting movements the way up her inner leg. He was making moaning sounds as he made his way back up passing her clit making her groan as he skipped over it stopping at her belly button, moving to suck and flick her nipples with his tongue. He moved up her neck before making it to her mouth.

She grabbed a fist full of his hair keeping him there, his hands moved around looking for the top drawer of the side dresser. He pulled out some lube, her vibrator, knowing where her toys were even in the half dark. She put her hands over her face when she saw he brought them out, she loved it but at the same time was a little embarrassed she loved it so much. 

'This ok?' he whispered, she nodded knowing what he wanted to do to her, their sex life had taken a bit of a step up thanks to Andrea dragging her along to a sex toy shop last year and ever since they slowly been adding toys to their night stand. Daryl had a strict no kids in the bedroom unless they were sick so they didn't think the kids would ever snoop up there and if they did come through it was more often or not a toilet emergency when the other two toilets in the house were occupied. 

He flicked the top on the lube and put it on his two fingers and rubbed it from her top to bottom, he started kissing her neck and slowly began toying with her arse, she was moaning and almost begging him to do something, he took the vibrator and turned it on putting it on her clit, she moaned out loud and wriggled around the bed. He slowly put it inside her holding the base, it was a rabbit type and it was flicking her clit.

He lifted his head to look at her as he moved it in her, her nipples were hard, he licked at one, move around, putting more lube on his on dick while leaving the vibrator going inside her on its own. He moved her up the bed a little. He lifted her legs so they went over his shoulder. He lined himself up a little with her arse and pushed in her a little. She moaned a little, he went slow into her. He had her arse on his lap, his own legs spread a little on his knees. He watched as she moaned and was excited underneath him. 

When he was fully inside her he waited, it was so tight and hot she liked it but was embarrassed she did like it they didn't do it a great deal. 

'Oh God, move, I'm going to come,' she whispered to him, he started moving in and out of her, one hand on one of her legs over his shoulder and one hand working the vibrator moving it in and out of her. She was rubbing her hands over her own breasts. He loved her like this when she gave herself to him and really become vocal and loved what they were doing. He wasn't going to hang on long, he moved with her, her face was telling him she was too far gone and she was going to blow, and she did. He watched her face as she come hard on the toy and on his dick. She gripped onto the vibrator and he could feel her clenching down on his dick, it sent him over the edged and he dumped his load in her. 

He slowly pulled the vibrator out, it was still going and he put it on her clit again and she trashed around moaning on the bed. 

'Christ Daryl I'm gonna come again,' she hissed at him, he kept it there and watched as his wife come hard and fast, he could feel the wet coming out of her. He slowly pulled out of her, she was soaked. He leaned down and kissed her soft and gently. He kept himself off her, he knew she would insist on them showering just in case any of the kids needed them. He helped her shaky form holding her while they showered quickly together and come back climbing into bed together.

 

 

 


	40. Chapter 40

'Are you sure about this Daryl?' Carol asked him again just to make sure.

'Yes, give me a kiss?' Daryl tired to reach out and kiss her, they had given him something to help him relax a little so they could get the procedure done quickly. Daryl was in his happy place, Carol was sure they could talk him into all sorts of things because he was saying yes to everything.

'Do you think you should buy me a diamond necklace?'

'Yes,' 

'Do you think we should give away one of the twins?'

'Yeah? Which one?'

'You think we should run away to a nudist colony and go swinging? Or partner swap?' She asked him, he turned his head looking at her and she realized he wouldn't say yes to everything, last thing he wanted was to share Carol with anyone. She giggled at the look on his face, he looked stoned but really was just zoning out, he reached out holding her hand.

'Don't let them cut them off...................... I need them, ain't no dog, don't spay me,' Daryl mumbled to her shutting his eyes for a minute.

Daryl tugged the hospital sheets up to his chin. he was wearing a tee shirt and they were prepping to take sperm directly from him. He was trying not to panic. He agreed to give it to them but he really didn't think through the whole how they were going to get it out part of it.

'Do you want some?' He glanced at Carol, over the past week they had revisited having another baby themselves, due to the fact they were talking about donating sperm to Shane and Rosita who were in the waiting room. They were going to wash it and separate it and put some inside Rosita and freeze the rest into smaller amounts in straw type things to use again if the first try didn't work. They should have enough for quite a few tries if everything went ok.

'I don't think so,' Carol squeezed his hand, 'I prefer the non swimming type,'

'Won't be able to do anything for a few days anyway,' Daryl mumbled, he'd been cut off from sex for about a week much to his horror, Carol was keeping an eye on him because he might just think about cheating and that wasn't fair on Shane and Rosita. They decided that they were not telling anyone what they were doing. It might not work, or it might they didn't want people commenting on the fact that Daryl was the biological father so Carol suggested the less people that knew the better, in fact right now their friends and family thought Daryl and Carol were away for a dirty night away at a hotel. In reality they were at a fertility clinic with Shane and Rosita hopefully helping them conceive a baby.

'Its ok Daryl, don't be nervous,' Carol reached down and stroked his head, the doctor come into the room washed his hands and put on gloves, there were also two nurses in the room. Daryl looked like he was about to bolt. Carol stroked his head again. 'Its ok, it only going to be a minute,'

'Do you want to watch on the monitor Mr Dixon?' the doctor asked him, they both shook their heads then nodded that actually they wouldn't mind looking.

Things had been going quickly with regards to the sperm donation. Rosita was ovulating and the doctors couldn't see why they couldn't just put sperm up to see it it would take to her egg as it dropped down, all done on the same day hopefully there would be a baby in 9 months time. If it didn't work this time Rosita was thinking she just keep trying with Daryl's sperm. If nothing happened they would try IVF which was expensive and something they didn't want to step into until they tried the 'Semi' old fashion way.

Carol watched as they put a needle into one of Daryl's balls and drew out sperm then repeated the procedure on the other side. Carol looked down, they had him out on full display, he'd really left his pride at the door for his friend and he really wasn't watching what was happening to his balls, Carol was. Carol couldn't help but hope they didn't slip up. From start to finish it was a ten minute procedure and they covered him up telling him to relax for ten minutes before moving and getting dressed. Daryl rolled himself over looking at Carol.

'Not to late to go steal it back if you wanna nother,' he mumbled. He reached down to touch his balls and winced a little. He lay looking at her for a while. 'Your a nice person.................'

'Yeah? How so?'

'Well .................... you helping Rosita.............. Shane,' Daryl mumbled.

'Not my sperm helping them,'

'Its yours,' He shut his eyes for another minute, the nurse come back to check him out, to make sure he was ok, she told them they could go back to their hotel room, as long as Daryl relaxed and didn't have sex for a few days. He needed to heal up a bit before trying to have sex, also they suggested waiting a week before having sex, Daryl shook his head. She gave him a smile and told him just to be careful for a few days.

Carol didn't know what sort of game Daryl and Shane had been playing but for some unknown reason to Rosita and her they had ordered a double room to share. Carol shook her head when they entered it they claimed one of the double beds, they might have thought they had some weird set up going on but then they did have two double beds in one hotel. Daryl was hard to keep upright still really relaxed. She got him into the bathroom to use the toilet then moved him into the bed. He would be the only one with meds on board tonight. They had given him some pain pills to take if they needed it.

Shane and Rosita come in three hours later, Rosita was walking with her legs smashed together, Shane just picked her up and plonked her on the bed. She turned around putting her feet up the wall and Shane shoved a pillow under her butt.

'Do you really need to do that?' Carol asked. 

'No but Rosita................ she likes to see if she can keep it in there,' Shane told her. 'How's Daryl?'

'Knocked out on pain meds, Rosita, good luck,'

They spent the rest of the night mucking around in the beds eating and watching movies, Daryl moaned every now and again. Shane convinced Rosita to go to the toilet because she would wet the bed if she didn't go, but she didn't want to just in case. He read the flyers and complained telling her she was a nurse and she knew how these things worked. She just needed to chill out and use the toilet and chill, it been 7 hours since the insemination, it would have taken by now or not. But they wouldn't know if she was pregnant for a few weeks yet. 

 

 

 


	41. Chapter 41

Daryl took the next day off work and lay around in bed complaining to Carol who was the only person he could talk about his balls with. She tried to comfort him the best she could the kids would be coming home from school soon and she was going to try play the headache card with them so they wouldn't annoy them so much. Sophia was coming home for the weekend as she had showed up every class all weekend.

Shane and Rosita were going to counselling because if the donation took they needed to be in the right head space to deal with the fact it was a donor sperm. They have had had ongoing counselling the last few weeks before the donation. They didn't want any surprises rise up with it down the road. Fights or resentment on Shanes part for not being the bio father and being jealous or upset. For Rosita it was forgiving Shane for telling people what part he had in turning their relationship upside down. They certainly come a long way quickly with three weeks of nightly sessions. They moved through quickly. Truth of it all that Shane loved Rosita and Rosita loved Shane and at the end of the day that was what held them together. 

Carol spent the day pampering her husband proud of him at the same time surprised by the offer to give his friend. They had spent many nights talking about it late into the night before they had gone to the fertility clinic. Carol came into the bedroom with some pain meds and  a glass of juice. She bent over giving him a kiss. He drank the juice down put the juice to the side and hauled her into the bed with him. His hands were suddenly everywhere and she knew what he wanted.

'No way,'

'Why?'

'Because they said you had to test clear two times, I'm not taking a risk,'

'How bad's the risk going to be? They gotta swim from one tube to the next, trust me!'

'No,'

'Nothings gonna happen,'

'Because we are not having sex forget it,'

'Well can I just play a little?'

'Maybe don't come near me with that thing, it could be like a loaded gun, I thought you had sore balls anyway?' Carol couldn't help it she wriggled around in the bed to cuddle him a bit, he looked better and brighter, friskly even. She couldn't help it she glanced at the time, they had a little bit of time before the kids arrived not much time but enough time to make out a little.

'Hmmmmm I do but they might feel better if I get a load off them or something,'

'Just don't............... you know,'

Before they knew where they were Carol was begging Daryl just to put it in and come outside of her. Before they knew where they were they were moving together and really really making slow love to each other, Daryl was taking it easy, they didn't often make slow lazy love. They had an active sex live but slow and lazy wasn't usually part of it,

Daryl planned on doing just that pulling out and coming on her, he was getting close, he'd been rubbing Carol and she was coming hard under her he was about to pull out and he got a huge fright of noise at the bottom of their stairs, he bottomed out grabbing at bed sheets just in case and they got such a fright that he blew his wad right inside her. 

'Christ sakes Daryl,' Carol hissed at him.

'It was a accident, I got stage fright,'

'Remind me to ring Sasha in the morning for something,' Carol whispered, she moved off him quickly and gave him pj pants and a tee shirt to put on in case he got visitors, he looked tired still and he didn't have any business talking her into having sex with him. He was supposed to be taking it easy but he always was interested in having sex.

They both had been getting reminder texts from Merle to buy him a new office chair. Carol hadn't been able to even bring herself to look him in the eye at the moment because he was looking at her, really looking at her and she knew he had watched part of the video if not all and she died a little of embarrassment every time she saw him. He seemed to take great pride in seeing her blush a little all the time. 

Daryl didn't seem to mind he was quite chuffed still at what he thought how good they looked in the movie and was still making hints and setting up a movie to make their own.  She pulled on her clothes to head down stairs to check all the kids. All her kids under the same house for the first time in a week. Dylan was home and her house was full and she enjoyed it.

Carol came down stairs checking the kids who were dumping their bags in their bedrooms hugging them all, she stuck her head in Sophia's room, 'Hi,'

'Hi Mom, Can I go on a date with Carl to the movies tomorrow? Shane and Rick said................. you have to take me and pick me up, I can't go alone in the car with Carl, or they will drive me,' Sophia blurted out.

'Hmmmmmm why can't you go alone with Carl?'

'Because............. we can't be trusted,' Sophia rolled her eyes, Carol smiled and loved the fact that Shane had a bunch of rules for her when she come home so she didn't have to say yes or no to something.

'Ok, I will take you or you could invite Carl out here on Saturday night and you guys could do a cook out or something? or watch movies?'

'With everyone?'

'Well if he come out about 8.30 the little ones will be in bed and Dad and I could be busy in the kitchen,' Carol walked over to give her daughter a hug she returned it for the first time in weeks.

'Or he could come out for dinner and we could hang out and then watch a movie?'

'Depends what Rick says,'

'If Uncle Rick says yes can we catch a fish for dinner?'

'Yes, or a couple I'm not gutting it you have to talk to Dad,'

Sophia screwed her nose up at the thought of gutting fish, Daryl was making his way down stairs slowly guarding his prize jewels holding them in his hands, the kids couldn't see him cupping his balls on the out side of his pj's but he was moving slowly. He stopped and gave Sophia a hug and then slowly made his way down to the lounge where he collapsed on the couch and demanded someone cover him with a blanket. Dylan was the only one on the ground floor come with a blanket from his bed and covered him up. Daryl mumbled he needed a pillow. He really was the worst paitent. Dylan gave him a pillow and Daryl asked for a drink.

Sighing Dylan went into the kitchen to get his drink and he grabbed chips also and a pack of biscuits just in case that was the next thing Daryl asked for. When he come back Daryl was snoring on his side. Dylan just shook his head. There was a knock at the door and Dylan went to open it and Glenn was standing there looking in at Dylan.

'Hi, just wanted to know if you could do me a favour?' Glenn asked him.

'what?'

'Maggie and I need to go to the doctor do you think you could watch Jasper for an hour?' Glenn asked.

Dylan nodded, Glenn indicated that he should follow him out to the car, Jasper was there in his little seat. He and Glenn brought the baby stuff inside that he would need. Bottles and diapers and his diaper bag. Dylan caught a glimpse of Maggie in the front seat and she didn't look too flash. She didn't look at death's door but there was something not quite right. Dylan stood on the porch and waved them off and walked inside with Jasper who was now 12 weeks old, he was starting to smile and look around. He knew Dylan and let him cuddle him. 

When Carol come downstairs she was a little surprised to see the little baby in Dylan's arms having a bottle but she didn't say anything. The fact the Rhees asked Dylan to look after him meant something was up. They hadn't left him alone for a minute in all the time they had had him.

Glenn and Maggie were at the hospital, the doctor was waving a wand across Maggie's stomach, 'There, I would say you are about 8 weeks along,' she told her.

Maggie pulled her shirt down and looked at Glenn, they were both amazed that they were even this far along, they hadn't even been trying. They had been trying for years.

'Have you tried something different?' their doctor asked. She knew about all Maggies miscarriages and was surprised they were trying again as Maggie had been so devastated last time.

'No we weren't even trying we decided to give up............. we just adopted a little boy,' Maggie told her. 

The doctor nodded, 'you know that often happens, people try and try and try, they give up and adopt then bingo pregnant, how old is your little boy?'

'12 weeks,' Glenn whispered.

'Well it looks like you are going to be blessed, I don't need to remind you to take it easy, sleep when your baby sleeps,' she warned Maggie, she gave them a script for pre natal vitamins and printed a scan photo. She let them go and to ring her for any problems. Maggie and Glenn left and sat in their car looking at each other.

'I'm not going to get too excited,' Maggie told him, 'Too much could go wrong,'

'But its always gone wrong before now,'

'I'm not telling anyone either, can we go get our baby?' Maggie asked, he nodded and they made their way back to the Dixon farm.

 

 

 

 


	42. Chapter 42

Monday rolled around and Carol realized with a shocked look on her face they had forgotten to go to the hospital to get emergency birth control. Daryl told her it wouldn't matter because he had been shooting blanks for ten years now. She couldn't even ring Sasha to ask because they would want to know why there was even a question about it. She rung the hospital and went in to talk to someone. She dragged Daryl with her because it was all his fault and she felt he should have to come also.

They decided to test his sperm just to make sure. They were surprised to see that there were some swimmers in there but working out the chances of her actually becoming pregnant was extremely unlikely.

Carol didn't actually didn't know if she wanted another baby or not. Daryl didn't know either but she wasn't convinced that now she had gotten her kids past the worst that she wouldn't want another one. Looking after Jasper had certainly brought the cluckyness out in her. Daryl  kinda was against it especially due to the fact they no longer had broken nights plus their kids could pretty much take care of themselves and they didn't have to worry about toddlers and crying babies through the night.

 After speaking to Daryl at length in the truck after they been to see the doctor they decided not to take the emergency birth control. She was still young enough should they fall pregnant and they had to use condoms for at least 6 weeks then they would retest Daryl's sperm, if there was swimmers they would do something about it. If not they would assume that his wound had healed. 

They laughed a little that the doctor seemed shocked that he had attempted to have sex so soon after a procedure on his balls. Carol rolled her eyes at that. Daryl liked to have sex a great deal and they had an extremely healthy sex life. For Daryl not having sex wasn't really on his list of things not to do. She didn't know how long was the longest time in the past few years that they didn't have sex.

The weekend hadn't gone that bad. Carol had spent a lot of time with the girls doing things with her daughters. Sophia had been kind to her sisters helping them bake cookies. Carol never thought she would see the day she would be helping Cameron, Eden and Jordan do anything. She'd been extremely jealous of them for a long time now. Carol helped them all make cookies, however most of it was just supervising it all from the kitchen table watching what was going on.

Carol was pleased Sophia seemed to have settled down a little. She didn't want to leave them alone in case that Sophia said something or did something that would hurt the younger girls feelings. Carol was on the alert. She didn't want anything bad to go on. She was surprised that everything was going well. She did try make an effort and after cookies making she played make up with the girls and with Judith who had come over with Merle. 

Merle was wary to leave Judy anywhere near Sophia. She was worried about Sophia being mean to her again and told her Dad she didn't want to stay and wanted to walk home but her mum was out with the younger children. They hadn't realized that Sophia was going to be there. She hung out in the garage with her dad working on the car hiding out. Carol went out to get her and promised she could hang out with her if she didn't want to do the makeup with the girls. She could see Sophia had really hurt Judy's feelings.

'I'll keep her with me Merle, its a bit boring out here, I'm going to play some games with the kids,' Carol told him. 

Carol felt sad that Merle was so reluctant to let her go into the house because of Sophia, 'What do you want to do Judy? You want to go with Aunty Carol or stay with me and Uncle Daryl?'

'I'll go with Aunty Carol,' Judy followed Carol into the house, the girls were sitting around the tables playing with eye shadow and nail polish, Carol sat at one of the seats and let Judy paint her nails and do her make up. Sophia was on her best behaviour and Carol didn't know how long it was going to last she was just happy she was even making an effort. 

The men had their own set of troubles in the garage, Daryl had Charlie with them when Dylan come in. He was clearly upset about something, he'd been crying and Daryl quickly sent Charlie into the house much to his complaints, Daryl promised to let him drive the tractor if he went now. He did what he asked when they fed out some hay. Charlie left within seconds of the promise, Daryl looked at Dylan wondering why he looked like his world fell apart.

'Maggie's having a baby, she's having her own baby,' Dylan blurted out, 'What if they don't want Jasper any more?'

Daryl looked at Merle wondering if he knew what Dylan was talking about. He shook his head. Daryl could only imagine what was going on inside Dylan's head right now, he was panting hard like he'd run the whole way, he'd been down visiting Jasper for a little play date. When Maggie and Glenn told them their news, they wanted to tell him first before they told anyone else. They didn't want Dylan to find out from anyone else but them. 

'Well that's exciting, Jasper's going to have a little brother or sister to play with,' Daryl said, 'that will be a closer gap than our sets of twins,'

'But what if they don't want Jasper,'

'Dylan, calm the fuck down,' Merle put his hands on the young man's shoulders and pushed him into the seat Dylan leaned forward putting his hands over his face and started crying again, 'Look at me mate,' Merle instructed, 'I got four kids, Judy isn't mine, it doesn't mean I don't love her any less, she's adopted, and her bothers and sister are mine, they are all mine, you always find enough love, you always have enough love to go around,'

The garage door pushed open and Glenn Rhee stood there looking in, he looked like he had run the whole way after Dylan, they were halfway though trying to tell Dylan their news that Jasper was going to be a big brother and Dylan got upset and run out of the house and run the whole way up the road with Glenn chasing him calling his name. He didn't stop, all he could think was that his son wouldn't be wanted anymore like he was never wanted. 

'Give me a minute,' Glenn bent over and tried to catch his breath a little, he tried to stand up, Dylan was trying to wipe his tears, 'We adopted Jasper, he's ours, we love him...................... nothing's changing , its not what you think.................................. he's just going to be a big brother,' Glenn got out, 'Dont' be upset, ya don't need to be upset,'

'You still want him,'

'Of course, you'd have to wrestle him out of Maggies hands to get him back, he's ours,' Glenn told him, he walked around a bit noticing Merle and Daryl leaning against the wall watching him. 'Please come back for dinner, Maggies crying and the stress isn't good for her being pregnant, we didn't want anyone else telling ya,'

Daryl pulled Dylan to his feet and gave him a hug, 'Go on, you don't want to make a pregnant women cry,' 

'Ok, I'm sorry,' Dylan told Glenn. Glenn shook his head and indicated that they should go back and see Maggie, Dylan went inside to grab his keys and drive down to the house. They passed Carl Grimes driving into the yard when they left. Daryl looked at Merle and shook his head.

'My day is just getting better and better,'

 


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time jump a couple of weeks.

Sophia was really trying to be good, she knew no one was trusting her for anything but she was really trying to get on everyone's good side. It was Friday morning and if she behaved she could go out on a date with Carl tomorrow unsupervised. She walked into the girls bathroom on the third floor and could hear crying coming from inside one of the bathroom stalls. She would normally turn around and walk out she never wanted to get involved with the younger girls crying but she could tell by the sniffs and the noise of the girl trying to stop crying it was Judy.

'Judy?' Sophia asked.

'Go away!'

'Why are you crying?'

'Go away!' she hissed again, 'Just go, I don't want you here!'

Sophia wanted to just walk away, she knew her parents would be disappointed in her if she just walked out. 

'What's wrong?'

'Not telling you will spread it everywhere,'

'You get your period?'

'Shut up!'

'Judy did you?'

'Go away I don't want you here!' Judy hissed through the door.

'I've got some stuff, in my bag, if you want it?' Sophia scratched her head, Judy started crying again, Sophia didn't know what to do so she text her Mom to tell her that Judy was crying in the bathroom. She could have just gone to get the nurse and let them deal with it but they would have escorted her through the halls and the other kids would look. So she text her to tell her what she thought was happening.

'I text Mom,' she told her, 'She's on free period now,'

Judy didn't say anything, Carol arrived 5 minutes later looking out of breath and she had a pad shoved up her shirt so no one saw what she was doing. She passed the pad under the door and told her how to fit it. Judy kept crying. Carol kept trying to talk to her through the door, Sophia just stood there wondering if she should say something or not. In the end she just stood there in front of the bathroom door with her back to it preventing anyone else from getting in. They kept going away because they thought the door was locked as she pushed back on the door. Carol nodded to her to keep other people out right now.

'I can't come out because my pants,'

Sophia took off her sweatshirt she was wearing and tossed it over the top of the door, 'Wrap it around your waist, you can keep it after,' Sophia told her, Carol glanced at her oldest daughter surprised that she was being kind to Judy. 

'Ring Andrea and tell her to meet us out the front,' Carol told her, '5 minutes,'

Sophia pulled out her phone to call Andrea to come pick them up and told her that her Mom and Judy will be out front in 5 minutes. Andrea said she would be there shortly. She told her mother then Carol managed to talk Sophia into coming out. They all looked at the door as one of the other most popular girls come into the bathroom, she looked around everyone wondering what was going on.

'Yeah thanks Mom, for bringing me those's, hope you don't get any fillings at the dentist Judy, ' Sophia picked up the pads and her bag, and disappeared into the stall. Carol was shocked that she did that so Judy wouldn't get embarrassed about it all until she was a little bit older about dealing with it all. Carol was surprised with her daughter about a lot of things she was doing lately, she hoped it was a sign that things were changing for Sophia.

Sophia left the bathroom she knew she was going to get a tardy and not get her book signed, she texted her mother to tell Shane and Rosita that she wasn't wagging. Carol text back saying she would and thanked her for being kind to Judy. Sophia went into class late, she got given a tardy slip by the teacher on the way in and slipped into the seat left at the back of the class right beside Carl.

'Where were you?' he whispered, 'You going to get into trouble,'

'I was helping a friend,' she whispered back.

After class she went to the teacher to see if she could get her tardy reversed. She explained that she was helping a freshman with a first time period problem, since the teacher was older women she nodded. She looked at Sophia to see if it was true or not. 

'Ask my Mom, I had to text her for pads,' Sophia held out her phone to show her the text, the women excused the tardy and Sophia left the class pleased that she wasn't going to get into trouble but she wouldn't sign the book for Shane so her Mom would take care of the book. Carl caught up with her at the end of the day.

'What are you doing now?' Carl asked her. 'We got an hour?'

'What did you have in mind?'

'I think Rick's tracking my phone so, wanna come sit in the car for a bit?'

'You want to park at school? You sure know how to show a girl a good time,' Sophia followed him to his locker, she knew they were tracking her too, she wondered if they just left their phones in their lockers for a while and then come back to get them in a bit, 'Carl? You think we should just leave our phones in our lockers for a bit? Then we come back and get them..................... I mean we don't have to be at the garage until 4, who's going to know?'

'Christ I want too, why don't we just fucken drive around and go for a burger or something, if we are good maybe I can come across to see you after? Tonight?' Carl grabbed her hand, determined she wasn't going to get him into trouble, 'So what do you wanna do? Make out in the car for a bit or drive around and go for a burger?'

'Option three? All of them?' she asked him, he nodded, he was going straight to hell, her Dad had warned him off last weekend when he walked in on them making out in the lounge, they were supposed to be watching movies and hand holding but somehow he'd managed to be half lying on her kissing her, thank god the lights were out and Daryl never saw where his other hand rested up her shirt in in her bra. She was a bad influence on him, but she was addictive like a drug he couldn't keep away.

They sat in the car, kissing and cuddling each other for a few minutes before he turned it on they drove around town then finally parking at the burger place, heading in to grab something to eat. They had to eat quickly before heading to the garage. Rick was on late finishes and he was supposed to be going with Axel after the garage but he was going to try get Axel to agree to letting him visit Sophia at Shanes. 

'So you on your period then?' Carl asked her, Sophia looked at him and narrowed his eyes.

'Why?'

'Just someone said you were carting pads around the bathroom................................. so you were helping Judy?'

'Carl...................... how........... don't say anything, she's embarrassed,' Sophia whispered, 'Who said something?'

'Someone in the locker room just said about it, his girlfriend saw you with a humongous packet of pads,' Carl gave no hoots about teasing her about it, he knew she got her period and also been going out with her long enough to know she wasn't the humongous pad carrying girl about.  'You did a kind thing for her,'

'I didn't know my pad or tampon wearing was going to be talked about in the locker room,'

'It wasn't like that, just one guy told me, they were not talking about it he just whispered it in my ear that beware you were on your rags and would be all fired up so you managed to keep the cover,' Carl watched her face as she shook her head. 'So if you are not, have you thought about the other thing?'

'Yeah, I want to,' Sophia looked at him, they looked at the time they had no time left, 'I can't believe we just had a conversation about Judy's period and pads while eating burgers,'

'Well Sophia we always have the best conversations, now be a good girl and we might get out alone tomorrow,' He patted her butt as they left the burger joint to go down to the garage. 

 

 

 

 

 


	44. Chapter 44

'Ok, then but just to the movies, and a burger after,' Carol told Sophia, Shane had agreed to it, he told Carol that she'd been pretty good that they should be able to trust them to go to the movies alone. Carol couldn't help but wonder if Sophia was pulling the wool over their eyes, she'd been kind to her sisters all day even helping little Charlie do some chores around the farm. Carol knew she was up to something and told her in no uncertain terms if she got caught out in a lie and wasn't where she was supposed to be she would have to face up to it and she was on her last warning. Sophia told her that they were just going for a burger and a movie. They needed to just chill out.

Daryl's eyes had narrowed in distrust when Carol agreed with Shane that they could go out. He wasn't sure giving them 5 hours of freedom was the best idea in the world. All he could do was try put the fear of god up on Carl Grimes. He was a hard nut to crack he didn't even bat an eyelash when Daryl told him if he put his hands on his daughter in a way that wasn't respectful he would tan his hide. Carl just stuck to the story that they were going for a burger and a movie. Daryl reluctantly handed Sophia some money to pay for it. 

Daryl didn't know that Sasha had put Sophia on birth control a three monthly injection with a little chat with Carol both of them thought it was probably the best idea due to the fact that it was likely that she could have sex or might have sex. Sasha had given her a box of condoms. Carol had little say in the matter anyway because Sophia was over sixteen and could make her own decisions but talking with Rosita, she and Sasha thought it was best for Sophia to tell her mother she was being safe. Carol was horrified about it, she didn't want to think about it but remembered what happened all those years ago with Maggies sister that she didn't want to have any more surprises show up. They were just getting over the surprise of little Jasper showing up.

Though in Carol's mind it didn't mean that they wanted to make it easy for Sophia and Carl to get together. Carol could see the appeal of Carl Grimes, he looked like a badass and those sorts of guys were ones that always caught young girls eyes. She knew that Carl was catching more than just Sophia's eye, but despite all his outward appearances Rick and Sasha seemed to be doing their best with him to push him through until he hit 18, they wanted him to do well, she just hoped Sophia wasn't leading him astray not the other way around. She tried to talk to Sophia more about waiting and timing. She wanted Sophia to wait until she was sure before she did something she couldn't take back with Carl.

'There's no fun losing your virginity in the back seat of a car Sophia,' she told her, Andrea had agreed with Carol talking to her about their own first time experiences and regrets. Sophia put her hands over her ears not wanting to hear them, she told them she wasn't ready to be doing stuff like that any way.  She didn't want to talk about sex with her Mum and Aunty. Carol hoped she had enough sense not to be talked into it or to try talk Carl into doing something reckless.

She'd flat out lied to their face, Carl had booked a motel room and they were making a break for it the next town over for a few hours and they were going to get into trouble if anyone found out they didn't go to the movies but they both couldn't wait to spend time together without people being on top of them.

They had purposely chosen a film that was only showing in the next town. Carol waved them off down the drive at 5pm knowing that something was up. Something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Daryl glared at them from the yard. Carl was 17, Sophia was nearly 17 and there really wasn't a thing they could do about it because so far for the past month they hadn't broken any rules and were being rewarded by trust by Rick and Shane. It didn't mean Daryl or Carol were happy about it.

Carol walked down the steps towards Daryl, it had been two weeks since their slip up after his donation she looked him in the eye, 'Well I have news,'

'Yeah?'

'I've got my period,'

'Have ya?'

'You don't need to look so happy,' Carol had had mixed feelings, feeling relief that they were not pregnant, they were still waiting for a blood test for Rosita to find out if she was in fact pregnant, Carol falling pregnant by accident wasn't something they wanted to deal with. Carol, come close and wrapped her arms around Daryl. He hugged her tight and looked down at her.

'I'm sorry babe, but I think we dodged a bullet,'

'Yeah well you can go to the store and get me chocolate and coke,'

'Anything you want ok,' he gave her a quick kiss, 'Does that mean what for us tonight, we got all the kids out of the house?'

'It mean's you get to give me a back rub and we can watch sloppy movies,' Carol told him, she kissed him quickly, 'You can go get my favourites from the video store,'

It was date night for them, the three girls were off to a sleep over at Merle and Andrea's and Charlie had been farmed off to Maggie and Glenn for the night. Every couple of months they tried to have a night with no children, they were expecting Sophia back around 11. 

'Don't ya want to go out?'

'Maybe, where?'

'Why don't we just go to the pub for a meal then come home,' Daryl suggested. They showered and headed off to town for a quick dinner. Really they both wanted to go to bed but spent an hour and  a half spinning a coin across to each other playing footies under the table while eating dinner. They really had no idea what was going on with Sophia and Carl in the town nearby.

They probably didn't need to know that Sophia and Carl had brought tickets for a movie they would never see. Carl looking way older than his 17years managed to rent a ok motel room. He and Sophia had been a little shy around each other. Carl was more experienced than her, and Carl was really glad that Daryl Dixon had no idea what he had been doing with his daughter when he dropped her back off to the farm 5 hours later. They had spent a few hours doing what everyone told them not to do with each other. Sophia come out the other side being held by Carl, kissed and for her she didn't regret it.

Carl dropped her off at the farm after, spent some time making out with her on the doorstep telling her he'd call her in the morning. Sophia opened the door and headed inside the house slipping upstairs and into her room, she called out up the stairs to say she was home, then spent the next hour sending texts back and forward to Carl.

 

 


	45. Chapter 45

Three days later Daryl was staring at his phone, he was going to kill someone and that someone was going to be Carl Grimes quickly followed by Sophia. He just had a phone call from a motel the next town over saying that Sophia had left her student ID there. He clenched his fist and stood up to go fine Carl who he knew would be in the building somewhere. Sophia was with Rosita and Shane. She could keep but right now that little fucker Carl Grimes had deflowered his little girl.

He walked through the building with his jaw set, Carol looked up as he passed her office she could tell something was up by the way he was holding himself and his fist clenched at his side.

'Daryl?' she called he ignored her and kept walking. She jumped up from her seat to follow him, 'Daryl what's wrong?'

Daryl walked into the workshop looking around, Carl Grimes was working on something with Axel looked up at the same time Daryl spotted him. He dropped his spanner and moved behind his dad and started backing out of the garage.

Daryl took him in trying to see what his daughter even saw in him. He was in a singlet and jeans, leather belt, tattoo's and the outline of a pack of smokes in his back seat. He imagined he'd stripped down since he arrived because he knew the school wouldn't allow that many tattoo's on display. He knew just looking at him he would appeal to his daughter because of his bad boy image. He was pissed because Carl had been doing so well and now he just wanted to throttle him. He just couldn't get it out of his mind that that little punk put his hands on Sophia. And now he had to die.

Daryl walked slowly and deadly towards him. Carl had no doubts that he knew what they did, he didn't know what or how but Daryl knew. He gave an involuntary squeak as Daryl headed towards him and Axel. Carl met a few dads in his time but none of them scared him more than Daryl Dixon, he glanced across the workshop towards Merle Dixon who was showing a interest in what was going on with Daryl, the whole workshop come to a still as everyone prepared to watch what was going to happen.

'You enjoy the movie the other night Grimes?' Daryl asked him, 'You and me outside now,'

'Hang on, hang on what's going on here?' Axel stepped up pushing Daryl back with his hand on his chest Daryl didn't move at all just staying where he was, Daryl was looking around him at Carl, Carl was looking towards the exit wondering if he had time to run. He judged it and there was no time.

'Yeah,' Carl admitted, 'So what? We are both over the age of 16, its not against the law .... we ain't done nothin' wrong,' Carl told him, still feeling a little safe standing behind his father, he wasn't to keen on stepping out, Carol walked up behind him putting her hand on his shoulder to calm Daryl a little. Daryl took a little glance at her wondering what she was thinking, she didn't look upset like he did but she could mask her emotions better than he could. Carl took his chance with Carol standing there, 'We both wanted to, I love her you can't tell me what to do you're not my dad or nothin','

'You lied and went somewhere you were not suposed to be,'

'Fuck you!' Carl growled at him, he didn't know what else to say. He didn't know how Daryl found out, he knew Sophia wouldn't tell him. He just didn't want to get into it with Daryl he couldn't. 

Daryl took a step forward, 'You're banned you can't see her no more,'

'You can't do that,'

'I can and I did!' Daryl told him.

'Can we just talk about this please,' Carol tried to move between them, she didn't know what to say or do, she wasn't happy but Carl was facing up to Daryl, 'We just need to calm down a bit,'

'You can't because I'm gonna see her, at school, here, at Shane's, see you all are not getting it, I can see her when ever I wanna and she wants to see me, you can't keep us apart believe me I tried to keep away from her but I just can't so you all either leave us alone to keep seeing each other, if she still wants to and wants me we gonna keep sleeping together, she gave her consent its not like she was forced to, ask her. We are together, understand that or we gonna have a big problem here,' Carl told Daryl, there was so much more he wanted to say but it would land Sophia in a whole lot of trouble.

'We do have a problem, you are out of the program get out of my garage,'

'Why? I didn't break any rules, I'ma doin' my work, passing my grades why do I get booted off, you know I needed this for my probation,'

'My garage my rules,'

'You want me to go to juvie? Thanks a lot, fuck you Daryl fuck you all I don't wanna be here anyway,' Carl growled at him, all his future seemed to be flashing before his eyes, Rick was going to go nuts. He couldn't believe it, they were kicking him out. He stalked off into the building through the workshop doors, they heard a smash. Carol moved to go check.

'Calm down baby brother.... I don't think you can kick him off the course,' Merle was standing nearby listening, he wanted to throttle the little prick for having sex with his niece but there was nothing done that could have him kicked off the course, you couldn't kick a teen off for having sex, especially if it was consensual and from what he had seen between Sophia and Carl it was, they both really liked each other. It was just different when it was your daughter some guy was going after.

'You on his side now?'

'No.... we just can't kick him off the course, kick his backside yes, off the course no,' Merle interjected, Carl come back, his hand was bleeding, he had a cut above his head that was bleeding, Carol was trying to pull Daryl back, she stepped in front of him putting two hands on his shoulders pushing him back away from another confrontation. Axel stepped forward to check out his injuries and grabbed some paper towels to stem the bleeding from his hand. He put some more on his head. Carl stood there long enough to say something quietly to Axel.

He didn't look back, Carl just walked out, he had his stuff. He pulled a pack of smokes out of his pocket and walked outside to light up. He walked around his car and kicked the tyre, he was trying to get his shit together, he lost it and head butted the mirror in the cloak room because he was so mad that they kicked him out of the course for sleeping with his girlfriend. He just felt like he was going to puke, he just told Sophia's Daddy he was gonna keep sleeping with his daughter, he didn't know if he should jump in his car and run. He pulled out his phone to text Sophia with the latest update. 

Carol and Merle were trying to sort it out. Carol told him she wasn't happy that they were sleeping together but they couldn't ruin his future because he slept with his girlfriend. If Sophia wasn't his daughter he wouldn't kick Carl off the course for that. She told him that they took on Dylan and Jasper to give him a helping hand yet Daryl was turning his back on Carl for doing less than what Dylan did, it wasn't fair on anyone. Least of all Carl when he was just trying to make it. If they didn't keep him on the course he would go to juvie and there would be nothing Rick could do about it this time.

She saw Carl's car drive out of the car park at a speed that made her cringe and rushed to try get a phone call through to Shane knowing the first person he would go to would be Sophia. Shane didn't answer, no one did. Carl had made the trip in three minutes and Sophia was waiting. She had a bag, she climb into his car and looked at him.

'Now what?' she asked him, he looked dejected, she leaned over and kissed him. She knew him, he was going to run, 'You can't run, you just can't.... I've an idea though,' she took him back into the house and she packed up all her stuff, they drove to Rick's place and gathered up all Carl's things. She told him her plan, it was going to push her parents to the limit but it was either this or they both just go. She was tired, really really tired. She didn't want to sneak around anymore she just wanted to get on with it, live the way she wanted and she was doing well. They both were earning some money but now she was tired of trying to prove herself as was Carl.

They wanted to be together, so they could either sneak around forever until they were 18 or everyone could just let them be together and get on with it. Let them finish school and get good grades, her parents didn't get that it wasn't just infatuation between them it was deeper than that, Carl actually grounded her, for him Sophia made him want to be successful, his grades, his behavior everything he did was to become a better man for her. No one got that and just wanted to keep them apart which made them sneak around. They were going to ask her parents for something that she knew was going to freak her father the heck out. If they wouldn't they were going to ask Axel. Then Shane. They didn't want to ask Rick, he had to many kids and not enough room. Her parents had the room, the garage was mostly converted and they were asking there first if her parents would let them live together. They sat on the porch talking, doing homework and waiting until they saw the truck coming up the drive.

Daryl saw Carl's car parked outside his house, he cursed and Carol told the kids in the car to quickly head inside and put their stuff away, they all ran inside. They all knew their dad was in a foul mood because of Sophia again. Carl and Sophia stood to meet her parents as they come up the steps. Carl was standing in front of Sophia as Daryl stopped at the bottom of the steps, 'The fuck you doing here?'

'I wanna talk, and I want to put a offer on the table,' Carl told him.


	46. Chapter 46

Daryl sat at the main kitchen table listening to what Carl had just said. He stood up and pushed his chair back. He couldn't deal with this right now; he was so fuming mad at them both for having the balls to come ask what they just did. Sophia even had the nerve to jut her chin at him.

'Well I'm going to be 17 in a few weeks and legally you can't sign me over to Shane anymore, I can become a emancipated minor and do it anyway,' Sophia told him, 'But I'm asking if we can be together here,'

'I'm going to be 18 in a year we want to be together,' Carl chimed in. He saw Daryl's eyes narrow so he just stopped talking about it leaving Sophia to keep talking.

'Look we need to talk about this, me and Dad,' Carol told them.

'No now, because we have our stuff packed I've already moved out of Shane's, and Carl moved out of Rick's so make a decision yes or no or we will go to Axel,' Sophia told them. Carol glanced at Daryl and reached across to stroke his hand pulling it into hers holding it under the table. She could see he was going to fly off the handle at any moment. She didn't want that to happen because she knew it would set him back with his emotions. 

'How about we all try calm down a little,' Carol could see Daryl's other hand shaking and he was chewing on his thumb. 'Just stay here while I go to talk it over with Dad ok, eat something, help the kids get into bed please Soph,' Sophia nodded and went upstairs, Carl went out the back door trying to avoid Daryl and sat down on the back steps of the farm house. Carl knew they were taking a risk coming to her parents. Sophia was quietly confident about everything that her parents would say yes or at least negotiate. He didn't know what else they were going to do, Sophia was a loose canon and he knew that he couldn't be without her. Together they were both doing better than they ever had in their lives.

Daryl walked outside, he could see Shane driving up their drive. He sighed knowing he was looking for Sophia because she had disappeared and he was still responsible for her. Shane parked, when he got out he run his hand through his hair; he looked relieved to see Carl's car parked there. He walked over to Daryl and put his hand on his shoulder.

'Everything ok?'

'No,' Daryl was trying to control herself.

'She's packed all her stuff, Carl too,'

'They wanna move in together,' Carol told him as she walked down the steps to meet them she gave Shane a small smile he looked shocked at the news, 'What are we going to do?'

'They wanna what?' Shane looked godsmacked, 'You didn't do anything to him did you?' 

'No, I kicked him off the course but Merle said I couldn't and now they want to live together here, what the fuck,'

'Look, she's going to be 17 its not idea but.... wouldn't it stop the lying and sneaking around?' Shane suggested,

'She's not sleeping with a boy under my roof,' Daryl growled.

'Look I don't want this but she's already sleeping with Carl,' Carl put her hand on his arm to try calm him a little before she kept talking, 'they are going to be doing it whether we want them to or not. The more we keep them apart the more they are going to sneak around, lie and fail at school. Maybe we need to put the fact that you are the dad aside for a moment but what would you tell another parent?' Carol asked Daryl.

'I think I should take Carl out shooting,' Daryl suggested.

'You would tell them to do whatever it took to keep them in school and to work or college, you know you would.' Shane said, 'If it was Dylan?'

'That's different he's a boy, and he's already had a baby, Sophia.... she's a girl and my girl its just different,'

'How?' 

'It just is.... its not going to happen,'

'I don't want to lose her Daryl, I just can't so I'm saying yes,' Carol said, 'With rules,'

 'What sort of rules?'

'Like they can't move in together but he can stay over Wednesday and Saturday nights? We offer that as a bribe if she's doing well in school at least she's going to be home,'

'What about the other kids, they see her doing that shit the next thing we have 3 more girls asking for their boyfriends to sleep over,'

'Its not going to happen Sophia's she's different to them; she's been through more, seen more, knows more,' Carol said, 'I don't want to lose her,'

'Negotiate Saturday night only if she's showing up to all her classes and passing,' Shane suggested, 'Assuming Rick's going to be ok,'

'I don't think any of us have much choice, they are threatening to go to Axel and he will say yes, you know he will for Carl,' Carol told Shane.

'No!' Daryl stated, 'No, she's not doing it she's a teenage girl and she's not moving in with her boyfriend..... fuck that shit,' he walked off, climbing over the blocks into the paddock near the fence Daryl started walking.

'Fuck it.... does he have his phone?' Shane asked.

'I think so, I'll ring Merle he will have to pass there,' 

'Carol wait.... I think we can just talk between us?'

'Sure,'

'What if they move in with Rosita and I? On a trial or something?' Shane suggested, 'Not full time or for years because it appears we have a baby on the way,'

'Oh,' Carol threw her arms around him, 'Congratulations I'm so glad it all worked out for you,' Carol hugged onto him.

'Thanks to you and Daryl,' Shane hugged her back and whispered it in her ear he could see Sophia coming out the door looking at them, 'How about's you let me deal with the moving in together thing, I'm still guardian for another 6 weeks so I really don't need Daryl's permission for that,'

'Ok,' Carol let him go, 'Are you sure? I can sign something to say I'm in agreement?'

'Nah.... I just need Rick to agree,' Shane told her, he walked towards Sophia, 'Get in the car Soph we going home,'

Sophia looked ready to argue Shane just shook his head and pointed to the car. She complied knowing he might just haul her off to the police station. Carl come out to see what was happening. Shane walked up and talked to him quietly Carl nodded, he waved goodbye to Carol. He climbed into his own Car and sat there waiting for Shane to leave. Carol watched her teenage daughter leave and really wondered if she was going to make it. Right now she had to ring Merle to find Daryl.

 


	47. Chapter 47

Daryl was walking seeing his brother walking towards him, he had the baby in his arms. Merle had two kids with him also, Daryl knew Carol would have rung him and Merle was watching his kids. He slowed down knowing he couldn't fully flip out why Merle had his kids there. Daryl held his hands out for the baby knowing it would calm him a great deal. The baby was tired and snuggled into his Uncle Daryl and stuck a finger in his mouth and shut his eyes.

'You want a beer?' Merle asked.

'No I don't want to drink I want to get my daughter and lock her up in the cupboard under the stairs,'

'Nope you cant do that,'

They walked back to Merles place Daryl wasn't up to running at the moment he still did jog sometimes taking one or two of his kids with him on their bikes from time to time. He couldn't figure out what was going to happen now. He couldn't believe what was happening. 

They walked inside the house. Andrea was sitting at the kitchen table reading a book. 'What's going on, Carol sounds upset,'

'Sophia.............' Daryl told her, he glanced at Judith not wanting to talk in front of her.

'Judy pop over and visit with Aunty Maggie ok,' Andrea instructed her. 

'Can I stay there the night?' Judy asked her, Andrea shook her head.

'Get Uncle Glenn to walk you home in about an hour or so,' Judy disappeared and a bottle of beer appeared in Daryl's hand. He sat at the table and nursed it. Andrea put the rest of the children to bed and sat on the couch nursing the baby waiting to hear the story of what was happening and why Daryl's nervous twitches were coming back. She could see his hands shaking and his leg bouncing. Things were not looking great for him right now she didn't know what the story was but she knew they had been having on going problems with Sophia acting out constantly.

'What happened, Carol didn't say,' she asked him.

'She wants to move in with Carl Grimes,' Daryl put his head down on the table and almost covered his head with his hands, Merle headed for the front door grabbing his keys for his truck.

'Get back here now! Where are you going,' Andrea scolded Merle.

'To put my foot in Carl Grimes's arse,'

'Sit down, lets talk this through,' Andrea looked down at her baby. He was giving her cheeky Dixon smiles looking over his shoulder at his dad who come over and gave him a kiss on his head. He bent down to kiss Andrea also. He kissed her on her head too, 'Don't try kid around me go sit down and talk your brother down,'

'So we can go to bed,' Merle suggested, she shook her head as the older Dixon's brother. His interest in her never waned and she really couldn't resist him so she gave him a wink that suggested that he get the problem sorted out fast.

'What does Carol think?' Merle asked Daryl.

'She said it was ok...... its not, I'm not being unreasonable am I?' Daryl lifted his head up from the table, 'Saying no,'

'I would say no,' Merle walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer cracked it open and sat down across from his brother. 'So Carol said yes,'

'Yes and I'm saying no.... I mean it, I'm not backing down on this,'

'Not backing down that you would risk your marriage or not backing down that you are going to go kidnap your daughter and put her in boarding school,'

'The second one,' Daryl mumbled, 'What do you think?'

'I think I understand from a mothers point of view that Carol doesn't want to lose her daughter or have her make the same mistakes like she did by running away with the wrong guy because she thought she was in love,'

'You think that?' Daryl looked over at her.

'Remember when we came to town there was just us and the girls, we both made mistakes because we were not supported by parents, if they had of been letting us bring boyfriends over maybe we would not have ended up with the wrong men,' Andrea glanced at Merle because he hated to talk about Judith's father, we don't want our daughters to make the same mistake,'

'But living together?'

'No I don't agree with that but Carol in a position I've never been in yet, I don't want to be in it!'

'Well what does Shane think?' Merle asked.

'He thinks we should do whatever is going to keep them happy and in school, they both are getting good grades and stuff right now,' Daryl looked at the untouched can of beer that had beads of water running down the side he tracked one with his finger. 'They went to a motel and had sex....... he had sex with my daughter and then come asked if he could move into my home and ...........you know,'

'That fucken little......' Merle was on his feet again.

'Sit down baby!' Andrea called from the couch, 'I mean it, you two, she nearly 17 I was 15 when I first had.....' she glanced at Merle who was really pissed about everything to do with her sexual life before him, he was jealous of men she been with before there was nothing he could do about it but he didn't want to talk or hear about it. 'I got deflowered,' she finished.

'Enough I don't wanna hear it,' Merle glanced at her.

'Merle come on, its natural that the girls will have sex at some stage just be thankful you don't have a house full of girls like Daryl does. Its normal the girls are going to have sex at some stage,' Andrea told them, Daryl put his head on the table and tried to cover his ears so that he couldn't deal with the thought that he was going to have to go through all the dating and boy drama with all his girls. 'We all have sex, its not a dirty word,'

'Stop, stop,' Daryl moaned, 'Just tell me what I should do or what you think we should do?'

'I think we take little Carl Grimes on a little hunting trip,' Merle suggested.

'No Merle, I think you need to split them up and talk to her and I don't know tell her,' Andrea swapped her baby to the other side and relatched the sleepy baby, 'Tell her that you guys are going to ease up a little with the dating that you had to fuck in the back seat of a car and you are not giving her a nice  bed to do it in,'

'Geeze, I don't know how I would of got through this all without you,' Daryl mumbled.

'Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit brother,'

'I need to go talk to Carol, we need to work it out, me and Carol,' Daryl told them, 'Thanks for the chat but I need to go ring find out how much boarding school is,' They knew he was going back more relaxed willing to talk with Carol about the situation even thought they didn't help him come to an outcome.

Daryl headed out the front door and down the steps. He stopped seeing Judy sitting there, she was folding bits of grass around each other. He stopped sitting down beside her, 'Hey Judy were they not home?'

'No their car isn't there,'

'Well head back inside let ya ma and dad know you are here,' Daryl told her, he stood to leave.

'Uncle Daryl?' Judy start to say, 'Sophia been really nice to me she did something nice for me this week and she hasn't been nice to me in years,'

'Yeah she did? What did she do?'

'Doesn't matter but since she been dating Carl she hasn't been so nasty, he brings out the nice Sophia again,' Judy stood up, planted a kiss on his cheek, 'See you tomorrow Uncle Daryl,' and she headed inside her house, while Daryl sat on the steps for a few minutes thinking about what she said. 

 

 


	48. Chapter 48

Daryl walked up the drive thinking, he was forming a plan in his head and he was going to pull Sophia's bluff. If she wanted to live with Carl Grimes she was going to do it properly.  Carol was walking down the drive to meet him, he knew that Andrea must have rung her to say he was on his way back home.

'Are you ok?'

'I'm ok, I've got something to put on the table,' Daryl told her, 'Gonna take them to the court house and get them married,'

'You are going to make them get married?'

'No I'm going to offer them free accommodation and they can come here as long as they are married,' Daryl looked at her, her face was looking like she was going to throttle him if he even suggested it because Sophia being Sophia might just say yes. Then they would have a wed nearly 17 year old daughter.

'No,' was all she needed to say. She knew he was joking and wasn't serious - almost.

'We can't let them move in together,'

'I know, I got an idea,' She wrapped her hand around his waist, 'We just say no, keep things as they are and see what they do... Shanes been on the phone, he talked to Rick and he thinks we should just ignore them,'

'Ignore them,'

'Just pretend that never happened,' She put her foot in front of him to try trip him, something she did sometimes. He stepped to the side and gave her a small smile for trying to make things feel a little bit lighter. 'Just pretend it never happened, like that time they walked in and you were down there' she gestured towards her pants area, 'and I pretended I didn't know where you were.... that sort of pretend it never happened.'

He stuck his foot out in front of her and they carried on walking all the way to the house trying to trip each other up. She didn't know what they were doing with their family but for now being silly and playing their funny games was taking Daryl's mind off freaking out about his oldest trying to pull one on them.

'So that's it, we just go to bed and ignore their demands,'

'Yes, that's what we are going to do,' Carol told him, 'And now we are going to go take a shower and make love because we are old enough and we are married,'

'We got condoms?'

'There might be some in Sophia's room,'

'That shit right there isn't even funny,' Daryl told her, 'Its not funny at all but you should look because we are out and I haven't been retested,'

They headed up their steps into their house to go toss Sophia's room to look for condoms. Daryl hated that he was snooping and looking for condoms, he was almost hoping that they wouldn't find any, Carol run her hands under the mattress, 'Bingo Mr Dixon,' She held up the box that Merle had handed out a few months back.

They checked the other kids were asleep. Both sets of twins were sound asleep. Carol watched them sleeping wondering if she and Daryl should plan a weekend away just for them. They had been taking a back seat for a while because of the problems they had been having with Sophia. The only one who seemed to be having heaps of time was Charlie because he activity sort Daryl out. He was interested in just plotting along side Daryl, doing whatever he was doing. They had been really lucky with the younger children had just been cruising on doing what they were supposed to be doing. She assumed this was partly because of the after school program that they had time with someone after school to do homework and Carol was available after school. 

'You know if you stare at them long enough one of them will wake up,' Daryl come up behind her wrapping his arms around her. 'Lets go take a shower and have a nice night,'

'Ok,' She followed him upstairs,'So your talk with Merle was good?'

'Actually it was Judy, she said some things, made me think, she's a good kid,' Daryl told her 'She told me some things,'

He tossed the box of condoms on the bed and towed her by the hand into the bathroom. He opened the windows so they could see the night sky. 'Bath or shower?'

'Bath,' she told him, he went about filling the bath and Carol lit candles and hoped they could have a nice night without having any more Sophia tantrums.


	49. Chapter 49

Sophia met Carl by her locker the next morning and stared at him, 'I thought Shane and Mom were going to cave but they spoke to Rick and now they are all on the same side again,'

'Your old man isn't happy, Sophia... if he asks me to go hunting,' he was freaking out because Rick had told him that their plan was stupid and Daryl could take him hunting and make his death look like a accident. Carl thought he was bluffing until Rick told him he would be on the hunting accident with Daryl. Carl had taken notice that they were not kidding around. 

Rick reminded Carl again that he only had less than a year to get off probation and it wouldn't look good him living with a teenage girl. He still had to behave until he turned 18. He also told him that he didn't care what he did when he turned 18 he could apply for full custody of Sophia if he wanted to or to be her legal guardian or something. Carl had listened he didn't want any more trouble with the law and Sophia again was helping him tumble off the rails.

Carl couldn't understand how he was so under Sophia's spell and was following her blindly while with her yet taken away and talked to man to man by Rick he saw what they were trying to tell him, yet here he was standing in front of her and he just wanted to do what she wanted to do. He needed to get away from her for a bit to clear his head. He'd actually asked his Dad if they could do something tomorrow and Axel had suggested going to a car show a few town's over and they were going to go stay there for the night and come back. He hadn't told Sophia he kinda was thinking he would spring it on her that Axel just sprung it on him when he was on his way. He didn't want to lie to her but he didn't want her to come or make a scene about it. She was supposed to be with her parents  so he knew he wouldn't be welcome there.

'My Dad isnt going to shoot you Carl,' Sophia leaned in and kissed him right in the hall, 'do you wanna go make out in the janitors cupboard,'

'Ok.... fuck Soph no I've got to go to class,' Carl shook his head, he made the mistake of glancing down at her chest then back up to her face again, 'Maybe meet me there at break?'

'Hm maybe, I might be busy,' Sophia tossed over her shoulder and stalked off down the hall to her class. She was going to be the one who he was going to follow into a whole lot of trouble now he managed to get her to a motel room it was all he could do to not replay that over and over in his mind every night since then. He saw two other guys track her with their eyes as she walked past but she didn't notice. Carl gave them a glare and they quickly looked elsewhere. They were all still wary of Carl and the way he carried himself with his 'he didn't give a fuck' look; they still didn't trust he wouldn't get them for looking at his girl.

 *******************************************************************

'I'll give you $200 if you go tonight,' Daryl was offering Axel money in the workshop of the garage. They had been working side by side talking about the stunt the kids had pulled the day before. '$250?'

'You don't have to pay me to spend time with Carl, but cos I'm broke and he sprung this on me I'll take it,' Axel took the money and put it in his wallet.

'How come you're broke?' Daryl asked him, as far as he knew he was taking a big wage home, he was a good mechanic and great with the kids in the after school program. 

'Still living in a motel room, cost a bomb plus I have to eat at the pub because there isn't a kitchen,'  Axel told him.

'Fuck why didn't you say, go see Andrea and see about one of the rooms upstairs,' Daryl told him. 'You will have to share the kitchen and bathroom with Zac,' He did a mental count it still left them with some room for any emergency accommodation that they may need for anyone that required it. 'You be ok sharing the kitchen with Axel?' he asked Zac.

'Depends is he going to tell you all what I really get up to at night, dancing around alone in my socks,' Zac told him, 'I actually enjoy the company, its not like there is anyone else in my life,'

'Maybe you should go out on a date or ask someone out?' Daryl suggested.

'Nah... been burnt the wrong way,' he told Daryl.

3

'Been eight years since you broke up with Beth, don't you think its time?'

'Maybe... I don't know there's not a great deal of single women around unless they come knocking on my front door,' Zac joked, 'No women, no drama.... nothing,'

'Its not all drama, you never gave it up what went on there,' Daryl asked for about the hundredth time, Zac never gave it up. 

Zac wagged his finger, 'Nice try, nothing happened, just didn't work out Dixon,' 

'She cheat on you?' Daryl asked for the first time and they all thought it because Zac had been so busy studying and working that he didn't see what had been going on right in front of his 22 year old mind.

'Yeah she did,' Zac admitted. 'So no women, that's just it for me now... staying stag forever,'

'Forever!'

'Yeah,' Zac said, 'So you need me for anything else or just dating advice? Women trouble or what?'

'No no we are good,' Daryl waved him off wondering how he could set Zac up on a date or how to go about finding all the single women in town. He went through to the office to tell Andrea to sort something out, put an ad in the paper or do something to show him the local talent.

'You want me to run a add in the paper to find Zac a girl friend without Zac knowing that that's what we are doing?' Andrea threw her head back and laughed at her brother inlaw.

'So... do something that will get women in the say.... 25 to what? 35 year old age bracket here, or is that to old for him?' Daryl asked. Andrea just giggled again, she nodded.

'I'll sort it ok, I'll think of something, we might need a tutor or something?' she asked him.

'Something like that,' Daryl left the office, saw Carol walking towards him. He stopped and kissed her, 'Lets go away tonight, mini break,'

'Ok sounds great,' she patted his arse as he passed and she walked into the office and asked Andrea why she was laughing so hard.

'Your husband wants me to run a add for single women to apply so that he can get Zac laid,' Andrea laughed even harder, Carol looked confused, 'He wants Zac to meet a chick,'

'Oh... as long as its just for Zac,' she laughed. 

'

 

 

 


	50. Chapter 50

'But I don't want to go on a weekend away,' Sophia told her mother.

'Well your choice is to either get in the van.... or get in the truck,' Carol told her. They picked all the kids up from school. They finished work at two and went home, packed and then picked their kids up from school and they were heading away in the opposite direction to Axel and Carl. Sophia had already packed her weekend bag thinking she was going home for the weekend and Carol had picked it up from Rosita. Sophia was having a mild fit standing on the sidewalk outside the garage. 

Daryl was checking the younger kids were all in their seat belts and there was a space next to Charlie for Sophia. Daryl walked around the van, they had one for the program that sat twelve people. Daryl needed it to fit all his kids and extra's to go away for the weekend. Five of his own and Dylan the van was filling up quickly.  Daryl opened up the side door for her to get in. He gave her a look and said in a low tone. 

'If you ruin this for them I'm gona be real mad,' 

'But I want to see Carl,' Sophia muttered.

'Carl's gone with Axel for the weekend, they gone to a car show.' Carol told her, 'come on sweetie, we need to get going to pick up Dylan,'

Both her parents half stepped back from her waiting for her to explode with some rant about Carl and where was he. She looked like she was trying to control her emotions but she couldn't. Daryl stood on one side of her and Carol supported the other side so she had no choice but to get into the van. Carol and Daryl worried that she was going to play up the whole way there.

'Please Sophia... the little ones are so excited,' Carol whispered, 'They want you to come with us.'

Sophia huffed and puffed but eventually climbed in beside her brother. She wanted to talk to Carl. Before she climbed in her dad held his hand out for her cell phone telling her that she wouldn't need it in the van with everyone. She was going to be sulking most of the weekend about this but her parents didn't even look like they cared much about her enjoyment at all. She just about cried when her brother tapped her arm and showed her a pocket full of worms.

Charlie was ever so adorable and she did love him. She didn't love worms though. She normally overlooked everything he did and helped him fix the problem but he was sitting with a pocket full of worms and they were also in his hand. She hated to think about what else he had in his pocket. He had such a fascination with bugs and animals. He wanted to study them all the time. Charlie put his finger to his lip and indicated she should say nothing. Sophia wasn't prepared to travel five minutes with worms, certainly not an hour or more.

'Daddddddddddddddddddd! Charlies got worms!' Sophia called out.

'I don't think so. I wormed everyone a week ago,' Carol called back from the front seat.

'No he's got real live ones in his pocket,' Sophia called out.

'You told!' Charlie growled at her, he elbowed her hard because he was mad at her for telling and he knew his dad would find out about everything he was carrying in his pocket.

The Van come to a lurch and Daryl got out walking around the back and telling his son to get out. They went to the edge of someone's property and Daryl moved some leaves to show the dirt. He kicked the dirt a few times and took the worms out of his pocket to put in the ground.

'What I tell you about collecting live things?' Daryl growled at Charlie.

'Not too... but the birds were going to eat them.' Charlie looked innocent.

'Don't tell me lies... the bird's wouldn't get them unless there was a ran or you dug them up,' Daryl told him. Charlie tried to keep his innocent face while Daryl frisked him for anything else he might be carrying in his pockets. He let go a spider and a fly he had in his jacket pocket in a small baby food jar with holes punched in the lid. Another pocket housed a lizard that Daryl had no idea what to do with. Daryl sighed and patted him on the butt then sent him back to the van. He wished he could have a smoke right now. Sophia's face was staring at him so he gave her a wave and she turned away. It was going to be a great weekend away he told himself.

He put the lizard in the jar and handed it to Carol. She stared at it. 'Is it my birthday already?' 

'No little brat had all that in his pockets.'

'What are we going to do with it,' Carol asked.

'Where did you get it from Charlie?' Daryl asked him.

'Not telling....' Charlie told him, Cameron leaned forward in her seat.

'That's Molly, she's lives at the school we going to have to take her back to school and put her back in the set up they have,' Cameron told him.

'Can't we just let it go?' Daryl asked.

'No because they are endangered and they given lots of the schools breeding pairs to try get more, we have to take her back.'

'What does breeding pair mean?' Charlie asked.

Daryl sighed and knew he was going to have to go back to school red faced to take back the Lizard his son stole, then they might get going on the holiday.

 

 


	51. Chapter 51

"You can't be serious!" Sophia stared at her mother.

"For once can you just fit in and behave. There are three bedrooms so you either share with the girls and be nice to them or you sleep on the floor in the lounge." Carol had had enough of the teenaged pouting. Dylan was bunking down with Charlie getting bombarded with loads of questions about breeding animals that Dylan was trying to tell him to ask his dad. Sophia had to bunk with Eden, Cameron and Jordan. She was not happy about it, she wasn't happy that she was being forced into bunk beds either. "Sophia we are trying to have a nice family weekend for everyone and its hard to find somewhere short notice for six kids ok."

"Fine I want my phone back."

"No... Axel has taken Carl's phone too. Its family time and you might even enjoy it."

Jordan and Eden were lying side by side on the top bunk hiding from Sophia and their mother listening to her getting into trouble again. They were looking at each other and smiling because their mother was telling Sophia off. They didn't really like Sophia. Cameron come into the room looked and Sophia and just climbed up the bunk to the twins. She squeezed in the middle and then all three girls giggled. Sophia looked up seeing that the twins were there all the time she was being growled at.

"You all are so annoying." She told them and went off looking for Dylan to see if she could borrow his phone. She looked in the bedroom he was sharing with Cameron. "Can I use your phone?" She asked him.

"I don't have it. Daryl took it because you can't be trusted I have to ask him to use it if I want to ring the Greenes." Dylan looked annoyed at her.

"You wanna go for a walk around the lake then?" She asked him. She was bored and if she stuck around they would end up playing board games with the twins. 

"Ok, let me just get my shoes."

Carol wandered out and found her dad bringing in a chilly bin full of food for them all. "Dylan and I are going for a walk."

"Where?" 

"Out there around the lake." She pointed out the window and across the road was the small lake it would take them about half an hour to walk around it. Daryl nodded.

"Be back before dinner. One hour alright." 

She nodded and went to grab a jacket she probably wouldn't need. Charlie dragged a box full of food in with him, he was trying to help his dad but he wasn't strong enough and put it on the floor just inside the door and pushed it across the floor. Daryl watched him trying to move it with a huge grin.

"You need help?"

"No, I'm strong." he huffed as he pushed it closer and closer to his dad. Daryl helped him drag it the last few feet and gave him a hug. He thanked him for helping. Daryl hugged his kids day in and day out. He didn't know that he would be so free with hugging and touching, making his kids happy. He pulled out Dylan's phone and slipped it into his jacket pocket with out Sophia knowing he had it. Dylan knew that he wasn't to give Sophia the phone and had asked Daryl to hold it for him so he had an excuse when she asked him for it.

"Ok, _Girls!_ What are we going to have for dinner?" He heard a bunch of feet come running down the hall with shouting words of different things each girl wanted to eat. All three slammed into him. They were loud and all talking at him at once. Two grabbed his arm's lifting them up to spin under his arms like they were dancing with them. They also managed to come to an idea with Charlie now jumping about asking for hot dogs.

Carol come into the small kitchen and watched their younger children try to talk their dad into giving them what they wanted he looked over their heads at Carol. "Help!" He just squeaked. 

"We could go out, we haven't been out with a family for a long time." Carol said, "And then we could come back and watch a movie or something?"

Daryl held his arm out so she could come in and join the group hug that he had going on. "Sounds good, we can get sorted then the other two will come back and we will go."

"Did you give them a time frame?" Carol asked him. He nodded and indicated one hour. They looked out the window and they could see the oldest two heading around the lake. It was good because they could see them the whole way which was good to keep an eye one them. Daryl told the girls to get themselves sorted. He hugged Carol to him when the two sets of twins left the room.

"I'm glad we come away, I already feel relaxed." He pulled her right to his front and leaned back against the kitchen bench. He pulled her so she was hard down his front, he kissed her forehead, he kissed her cheek and then he started to kiss down her jaw. He made a low groan as he kissed down to her collar bone. Carol put her hands on his chest and pushed him away. 

"Calm down, there are kids everywhere." Carol whispered. Daryl looked over her shoulder and he could see the coast was still clear and he gave her breast a squeeze. Carol laughed and slapped his chest at his quick feel. "Maybe later."

"Promise?" 

"You will have to be quiet because the house is very very small." Carol knew he would remember she wondered if they could take a moonlight stroll after dinner and have some one on one time together. "Or we go for a walk tonight and make Dylan and Sophia baby sit."

"You have it all planned?" He had a big grin on his face. Carol couldn't believe her husband was still so driven by sex and the thought of it had a big grin on his face. Carol leaned in to kiss him again. They heard a noise behind them with their kids making smooching sounds.

"Kissy kissy.... smoochy." come the chants. Daryl lifted his head and looked at their cheeky monkeys. 

"Do you still love daddy?' Jordan asked.

"Of course I do... why?" Carol asked she seemed surprised about the question.

"Because Molly's mum and dad don't love each other any more." Jordan told them.

"Well I love mummy and mummy loves me." Daryl gave a blanket statement. "And we love you all."

"Even Sophia?" Charlie asked.

"Even Sophia and Dylan and baby Jasper." Carol told them. They seemed to like that answer and swooped off down the hall again. Daryl pulled Carol closed again.

"Even Sophia?" Daryl started to laugh because of their sets of twins thinking that they would stop loving Sophia. 

"Yeah, but I love you too." She leaned in to kiss him some more.

"Eww gross, you are too old for that." Sophia and Dylan were home and both were making gagging noises looking at them.

"Get ready we are going out for dinner then I'm taking your mom out for a romantic walk in the moonlight and we might even hold hands." Daryl told them. Sophia and Dylan kept making gagging noises all the way up the hall.

 

 


	52. Chapter 52

Zac paced the floor in the upstairs apartment above the garage. He didn't know what the hell he was thinking. Beth Greene bowled into town and announced over the phone to him that she wanted to try again and see him. He flipped out and told her he was dating someone and it was serious. Now he was flipping through his phone book wondering who would let him pretend he was her boyfriend. 

Beth insisted that he and his girlfriend met her at the bar for a drink. He didn't know what he could do short term. He heard the vacuum going down in the offices downstairs and knew it would be Olivia, he went down to talk to her some nights when he was lonely and they had a cup of coffee together before she headed home. She was a single mum with a teen called Mike who would stay home alone while she cleaned the garage. She was cute, very pretty and always greeted him with a big friendly smile, long dark hair, dimples and a sunny personality. He loved that she was so sassy and gave him shit when he needed it. They texted each other good morning and goodnight, she was almost his best friend but they never even been out for a burger. She never played games with him and told him if he was being an egg. She was excited whenever he let her know that something new had happened for him and he was always interested in what was going on in her life.

She was one of the women that Daryl and Merle helped get out of a bad relationship and now she was working for them cleaning the offices and staff rooms, sometimes she picked up a shift or two at the garage pumping gas at the weekend. He really enjoyed her company, he just wished he could find a girlfriend like her, that was fun to be around. Who he liked and someone who he got on with really well. She told him months ago she had sworn off men. 

Zac didn't know what to do about the situation he was in, and he locked the door to the outside of his apartment just in case Beth showed up there. He headed down the internal stairs to meet up with Olivia. He headed down stairs calling out to her, she always expected him. Every night around this time he went down to chat to her about her day, she also worked cleaning the primary school. 

"Olivia... _Olivia,_ " he called out for her. He heard her call him from down near the offices. 

"Hey Zac, what's wrong?" Olivia looked at him and could tell he was upset or worried she wasn't sure.

"Had my ex girlfriend from high school ring me up and ask me on a date," He told her. He could see there was a flash of something pass her face but he couldn't tell what it was.

"Ok... have fun," Olivia turned her vacuum back on and began to walk away, there was something about the way she was holding her body he couldn't work it out. 

"I told her I had a girl friend... I need you to help me." He called out to her. She turned off the vac and stopped to talk with him.

"You want me to play your girlfriend, no one's going to believe that you are with someone like me... " Olivia misunderstood what he was telling her, but Zac thought why couldn't Olivia play his girlfriend. They knew everything about each other, they liked each other and if he had to hold her hand and kiss her he wouldn't be bothered by it. He might even enjoy it. Some kissy kissy with Olivia might be just what the doctor ordered.

"Why wouldn't she believe that you were my girlfriend?"

"Well if she like her sister... she's going to be a tiny little thing and I'm... " Olivia jestered all around her body, she was plump and Zac knew that she was indicating her size but to be honest he never noticed her size because he just liked her and he liked her body, her boobs and he'd glanced more than once when he'd seen her bending over to pick up something. It just dawned on him, he was hot for Olivia his long time friend, now she was going to kill him if she found out. She was kind to him, always smiling at him. He wanted a girl friend just like her. He stared at her so long that it was making her uncomfortable. Why couldn't it be her... he liked her and Olivia liked him what did they have to lose. He kinda always had a crush on the women and once or twice he'd spanked off thinking about her, he blushed now thinking about that just in case she knew what he was thinking in that moment.

"Why not, you're adorable... I mean... fuck... I don't know... maybe you don't want to be seen in public with me?" Zac suggested. 

Olivia blushed, "I'm too old for you anyway."

"How old are you?" Zac had no idea, he'd been chatting with her for years now and he still didn't know, she had a kid who was fourteen who come to the program sometimes but he kinda had her age around thirty four. It wasn't that old. He was twenty seven, it wasn't like she had grandchildren and was in the old folks home.

"Thirty three, too old for you." Olivia said.

"Please come out with me tonight, I don't want to go... I'd rather have someone there that I like." Zac couldn't believe it he was blushing worse now. How had he not worked out before that he liked Olivia and she was kinda hot and sexy all rolled into one. Now he was getting himself all flustered thinking about being alone with her and what would going on a date be like with her, the way she kept glancing at him almost embarrassed by his attention. Maybe he was pushing his luck. Maybe she didn't want to go out with him. He started backing out of the room they were in, because he had almost cornered her and was trying to get her to come out with him. "Its ok... it doesn't matter."

Olivia watched him back out and away from her. "Zac... wait!"

He stopped walking away from her. He just stood there letting her talk.

"I'll go... but... if I go I don't want to be used as a prawn with you and that Greene girl, if you are taking me to make her jealous I don't want to be a part of that. If you are taking me out I want it to be because you want too. I haven't been out with a man in years so... is this just a favour or are we going on a date?"

Zac turned around looking at her, she was blushing like made, crossing and uncrossing her arms because she didn't know what he he was going to say.

"Its a date... like a boyfriend girlfriend date.... just don't tell...."

"Daryl and Merle?" Olivia asked. 

"No... just don't tell her we are on our first date... cos I said I've been seeing someone for a few years." Zac told her.

"Zac... no I can't make stuff up." Olivia stepped towards him to talk.

"No you won't we been having coffee every night for years." Zac stepped towards her, "But she will know if we haven't kissed before."

"Hm..." Olivia went bright red, she's had a crush on Zac for years thinking she was too old for the man who she had coffee with every night. She looked shocked as her friend stepped into her comfort zone and bent his head to give her a chaste kiss on the lips. He moved one arm around her waist and pulled her closer and kissed her deeper. He moaned into her mouth as her expert hands drifted down his back and pulled him closer. He broke off the kiss and licked his lips.

"So... does Mike need a sitter?" Zac asked.

"No... he's staying at a friends all night, I do need to go home and shower and change though," Olivia told him.

"Tell you what come upstairs I'll shower, then we will go to your place, and you can get changed." Zac kissed her again, "Then we go out."

Four hours later, and one trip down stairs to raid the condom supplies in the program rooms, Zac and Olivia took their relationship past just friends. Olivia woke up from being wrapped up in Zac's arms because she heard a noise at his door that lead to outside, she heard knocking. Zac was sound asleep with the sheets just covering his fun bits. Olivia pulled the sheet up more, pulled on one of his tee shirts and her pants and went and called out who was it.

"It's Beth Zacky... let me in."

Olivia opened the door and a drunk Beth fell through the door. Zac woke with the  noise sitting up in bed staring at the drunken mess on the floor of his apartment.  "What the fuck is she doing here?"

"She was at the door." Olivia told him, Beth struggled to get to her feet, Zac was trying to wrap a sheet around his waist.

"You slumming it Zacky... where's ya girlfriend?" Beth slurred. Zac eye's narrowed, Beth had a nasty nature when she had been drinking. 

"Olivia... hun go call Glenn tell him to come get her." He pointed to the kitchen phone and she headed into there.

"You told me you had a girlfriend, but I don't see no girl I just see a ..." Beth started to say something and Zac fireman lifted her and deposited her on the couch, she was so shocked she stopped talking.

"Now listen here, you open your mouth again saying nasty shit about my girl I'm going to put you outside on the stoop to wait for Glenn." Zac looked up and he knew Olivia had heard what Beth was going to say to him about her, and she heard what Zac said.

"Should I go home?" Olivia asked.

"Yes... he doesn't want you... I'm his true love aren't I Zacky... you said it to me first." Beth slurred. 

"No don't go anywhere. Beth get out..." Zac growled, he walked across and hugged Olivia whispering that she would be gone soon and he didn't want Beth there just her, and they would talk about it again when they got rid of her. There was a tap at the door and it opened. A half asleep Glenn Rhee stood there.

"I'm so sorry man, hi Olivia... wow I didn't know you two were a thing, you two are cute together." Glenn watched his sister inlaw slump sideways and fall onto the floor. "So... how long this been going on?" Glenn seemed more interested in Olivia and Zac in each others arms that getting Beth out of there. She was asleep on the floor now anyway.

"Look, we are a thing so just take your sister inlaw and go, remind her I'm not interested and I'm with Olivia now." Zac told him.

"Ok... I'll find out the details tomorrow. I better get her home before our baby wakes, Maggie's got some morning all day sickness so Beth was going to help this weekend and she's done fuck all really except get pissed." Glenn tried to pick her up off the ground. Zac looked around for some pants to put on, he then quickly kissed Olivia.

"I'm just going to help him ok." 

"I'm not going anywhere." She kissed him back quickly and then watched as the men tried to man handle Beth out of the apartment. She couldn't stop the sly smile as Zac accidentally bumped her head on the door frame. When Zac come back Olivia was taking a shower, he stripped off and joined her. She was surprised that he seemed to be so into her, excited that the arrival of an ex didn't really cause any problems between them. Olivia didn't even feel jealous about the other women, she could tell he wasn't into her anymore. High school romances were one thing but adult ones were different. She tried not to think about the fact that he was younger than her, they'd been friends so long that age really was just a number. 

 

 

 

 


	53. Chapter 53

Olivia felt strong arms holding her close when she woke up in the morning. She felt warm and secure, she lifted her head shocked to see the time. She needed to go, she also was bursting to go to the toilet. She tried to roll out of Zac's arms but he sensed she was trying to move and held her tighter.

"You running away?" He asked her.

"No... toilet stop, but I'll have to go pick up Mike soon." Olivia told him, "I've got to be home because he's playing a game of basketball at 1pm."

"We got plenty of time... come back to bed after you got to the bathroom," Zac let her go and rolled back on his back and flung his arm across his head. He looked around his room not noticing that Olivia was trying to get to the bathroom with bed sheets wrapped around her self. He felt the top sheet of his bed slide away from him leaving him with just the duvet on top of him. He looked up to see where the sheets were disappearing too. "What are you doing?" 

"Just don't want you to see me." Olivia told him.

"I've seen you... I saw you last night remember,"

"But... I wasn't expecting to ... you know, I haven't even shaved my legs or other bits."

"So? I didn't shave my legs,"

"Zac don't be stupid," Olivia wrapped the sheet around her and shuffled into the bathroom wrapped up in his black sheet, "Why do you have black sheets for anyway?"

"Well white ones ended up dirty within a few days of me sleeping in them, I've got grease and black shit everywhere."

"Ok... I'm going to shower now." She shut the bathroom door and turned the shower on so he wouldn't hear her pee in the toilet. She then took a quick shower just in case. She was sore, Zac was bigger than she expected. He also was a considerate lover who was keen to please. She didn't know where things were going to go now. She had had a crush on Zac for quite some time now, he was a good friend and now they slept together it did open the doors for everything else. She did know he told Beth she was his girlfriend but she now was unsure if he did really mean it in the cold light of day.

Zac rolled onto his side and looked at the time, he couldn't believe the night he just had, he couldn't help but wonder if he was heading down the rabbit warren. There wasn't much he didn't already like about Olivia and he'd found a few new things he like about her now too since he stripped her last night. He rolled out of bed and stretched. He looked around for something to put on. He pulled on a pair of boxers. He gathered up Olivia's clothes and took them into the bathroom so she could put them back on to go home.

She was in the shower when he opened the door, he made enough noise that she knew he was there. He had no shame walking straight to the toilet to use it. He dumped his boxers on the ground. If she was worried about him seeing her naked in the cold light of day, she was now about to be worried about him seeing her wet and naked. 

"What are you doing?" Olivia looked shocked to see him tucking under the water then coming back out again shaking his head so his hair flicked water everywhere. "There's not enough room in here for both of us."

"Yes there is... see we both are in here." He glanced down at her boobs and smiled his hands went to her breasts, then he ducked his head to suck on a nipple that was staring up at him. "Plenty of room."

Zac spent the next twenty minutes showing Olivia how much he like to shower with her until she had to call uncle because she really had to get going.

"Do... do you want to go out tonight?" Zac invited her on a date. Olivia was dressed ready to go, Zac was just wandering around in a pair of jean's and no shirt. His back bore a few scratch marks and his stomach a hicky, Olivia blushed every time she looked at it remembering how it got there.

"I'd like that but I promised Mike he could have some friends over for a movie night, so I'm going to be banished in the  bedroom, but I need to be there." She told him, she kissed him full on the mouth, "But maybe you could come over for dinner or something?"

"What are we telling Mike?" Zac sounded like he wanted to nail things down with actually knowing where they were going with their relationship. He was worried about what her son was going to say if he found out Olivia spent the night with him and Zac was banging his mom. He knew they were close and in the past he had been in trouble off and on since Olivia split from his dad. 

"I think he doesn't need to know anything ... yet, he knows we are friends and he already likes you," Olivia told him, "It could go either way... what do you want... are we just friends with benefits?"

"We are friends, but... fuck this isn't high school, how bout we just tell people we are together." Zac looked a little worried about Olivia would get home and decided against it. 

"Good," Olivia told him, "I have to go because I need to got to Mikes game and should I expect you at six?" 

"Sure," he kissed her again then she gave him a final wave and he watched her walk down the steps to her car. "Where is Mike's game?"

"Its a home game this week, so I have plenty of time," She called back and waved back at him one last time. Zac looked at the time and wondered if he had time for a shave before heading to a basketball game.

 

 

 


	54. Chapter 54

Maggie was rocking Jasper in her arm's trying to settle him down for a nap, he'd had his bottle and now he wanted to sleep but he was over tired. It was all Beth's fault because she woke him during the night with her drunken rage about how Zac was with a heifer and Maggie had to get up to try get her drunken sister back to bed.

"Babe go to bed," Glenn tried to take Jasper from Maggie but it just made him cry more. He wanted his mama, he was still so little. Jasper put his thumb in his mouth and sobbed as Glenn had to hand him back to Maggie. Maggie had been up feeling sick that morning she hadn't actually vomited but she was pretty close to losing her breakfast.

"I need to sleep, he needs to sleep and you need to get rid of Beth," Maggie told him. 

"Take him into bed with you, you both can rest that way." Glenn put his arm around Maggie and guided them both down the the main bedroom. Jasper's bassinet was set up in their room and they liked it that way. They were not ready for him to go into his own room, they knew that they could possibly have two babies in their room within six months or so. Glenn thought they should just use the nursery as a dressing room. That's where all his suits were. He hung a to the floor mirror in there to he could check out his image before leaving the house. 

Maggie sat on the side of the bed and kicked off her slippers. She felt a wave of nausea flash through her. She had to pass the baby off to Glenn and go to the toilet. She could hear her baby crying for her, she really wanted to shower. She was going to take two minutes to take a quick one because she knew that the hot sticky feeling was starting to make her stomach heave. She had to turn around and lean over the toilet and let go of her breakfast. She could hear her sister starting to complain about the crying baby.  She heard Glenn tell her to shut up and his foots steps down the hall.

Maggie heard the bathroom door opened up and she could hear her baby crying and she couldn't do anything about it. Glenn turned the shower on, they had learnt over the past six or so weeks that the running water noise had a calming affect on Jasper. Glenn was rocking him in his arm's like nothing was a problem. They could hear Beth stomping around the house. Maggie groaned and tried to lie down on the floor to the nice cool feeling on the floor. 

"Maggie you ok?"

"Its just tiredness and morning sickness, its nothing major... its normal." Maggie told him, she rolled over on her back to see his dark eyes staring down at him. He had their baby's head up close to his face and he kissed his head. Glenn looked at his little face, he smiled and kissed him again. Glenn was so in love with Jasper because right now he had his wife lying half asleep on the bathroom floor but his son was nearly asleep.

"Are you sure? Its just morning sickness?" Glenn was starting to worry about her just lying there, he was pissed off with his sister inlaw. He was pissed he had to get up in the middle of the night and bowl into a friends place, Zac was his friend and he grown from the teenager that Beth used to go out with into a fine man. He was a man, he wasn't a young man either, he was heading towards thirty, he was actually only about five years younger than Glenn. He still remembered the first night he come down to the bar to have a drink with Merle and Daryl after he turned twenty one. He seemed to be head over heel's about Olivia too.

"Did you know Zac was dating Olivia?" Glenn asked Maggie, "That's why Beth's so upset."

"Is that why she's yelling about heifers? I thought Daryl and Merle might of let their cows out." Maggie moaned, "She's such a mean bitch. Olivia's lovely, I was thinking about asking her to come help me until I get over this morning sickness... Can we afford her?"

"Yes... but I think she helps Daryl and Merle also doing some cleaning there so you can only ask her... how long do you think they have been together?" Glenn was nosy, "Do you think they been hiding it or what?"

"Well you did show up at some ungodly hour of the morning so maybe they been hiding it," Maggie managed to stand up and stagger over to the shower, she dropped her clothes and stepped into the shower. Glenn couldn't help himself but take a little peek. "Go put him to bed and come back and have a shower with me."

Glenn was out the door before Maggie even finished her sentence. Maggie just shook her head thinking that if Glenn thought he was even going to get lucky this morning. Glenn was back in no time.

"He's out to it," Glenn dropped his clothes and grabbed the mouth wash and passed it to Maggie. He stepped into the shower and gave his wife a cuddle. "Don't worry I'm not going to try anything."

"Good because I think I might puke again," Maggie whispered back, "Do you think Beth's going to cause problems for us while she's here, did she tell you how long she's staying?"

"I don't know... she didn't really say a lot."

They both did wonder about her, she said she was going to come help with the baby while Maggie was so sick. She hadn't even offered to hold Jasper or asked about him. She had focused her attention on getting ready to go out to the bar to meet her high school ex boyfriend then Maggie had answered the call from Olivia in the early hours. Glenn had dragged a raging drunken woman into the house, Maggie didn't know what to think, all she wanted to do was to sleep.

 

 


	55. Chapter 55

"I wanted to talk to you about Sophia, she's not good for you," Axel was walking about the car show with Carl. "You have no second chances left and Sophia's dragging you down, I want you to make something of yourself and you can't do that with her dragging you around by your dick."

"She's not... we... I don't know, I just can't say no to her." Carl glanced over at his dad, he knew exactly what he meant. He was making all sorts of wrong choices because of Sophia and he was nudging really close to getting into trouble again with the law. He just had to behave and pass and get good grades. "I really like her."

"I know, how about this, you guys go back to slow and steady, you have one date once a week that you spend together, then in a few months when you turn eighteen you can rethink about it."

"Maybe... I dunno... she's kinda, she's really nice." Carl tried to tell him.

"Ok, name me five things about her that doesn't involve things I don't want to hear about." Axel asked him.

Carl mused for a bit and shrugged. He couldn't even say she was kind to her sisters because she wasn't. She was popular but only because she was not scared of pushing any boundary's, she was a good kisser and she let him touch her. He couldn't tell his father that. He liked her because of the way she made him feel. She just made him happy.

"I just like her, she makes me happy." Carl told him, "she's trying and I like how she makes me feel, I don't know... I never had anyone that just really liked me for me you know..."

"But you don't need to worry about that anymore, I'm here, Uncle Rick, Aunty Sasha, we all are here for you."

"I know but I'm worried that its not going to always be like this, mom's gone and its just me. You wouldn't understand." Carl said, "You never didn't know what was going to happen from one day to the next."

"I know but I promise I'm always going to be here, I moved here, I've a flat now and a job." Axel said. They stopped to look at another car. 

"What made you be interest in mom, I mean you were with her for a while." Carl heard lots of of stories about how Axel and his mom were together for a long time but Axel left once he left high school. They been together since they were fourteen and Carl had been the result of their teenage romance. He knew the whole time he grew up that he was a unwanted mistake and only being with his uncle for the past six months had made him realize that he wasn't a mistake. "I'm not going to get her pregnant and leave her if that's what you think."

"Carl if you get that girl pregnant you better run and change your name because of those two Dixon men who will be after your hide. I'm just telling you for your own good. If they find out you deflowered his little girl he's gonna be pissed."

"I think he knows anyway... doesn't matter its not going to be happening again soon. Look I don't really want to talk to you about sex ok." Carl told his dad. "Please, I know all about sex, I've been having sex for a while, she's not my first all right. Just leave it. I'm not breaking it off with her but I'll back off a bit follow some rules ok."

"Why don't you go over there and chat to that bunch of girls they all look about your age," Axel indicated with a glance to the left with his eyes.

"Because they look about twelve, side's girl's dads don't really like me." Carl told him.

"Twelve, girls look older now days are you sure?" 

"I don't know I'm not interested... more on point dad, why don't you go over there and talk to that bunch of women over there and let me see how its done?" Carl suggested, he wasnt shy he elbowed his dad in the back and sent him stumbling in the direction of the women he was talking about. Axel had to try steady his footing and he took the extra few feet to stand in front of them. 

"Ladies..." he heard Axel say and that was the last he saw of his dad for a while, he spotted Merle walking about with Judith and decided to head over to talk to them. Judith had spotted him and waved as he walked towards them. He waved back he liked her and she was quick witted and fun to be around. He couldn't stand it when Sophia was mean to her and it was one of the things they argued about a lot. How mean Sophia was to her sisters and her cousins. 

"Hi Judy, keep away from those boys over there!" Carl teased her. Judith giggled and blushed under his attention. _Oh dear!_

"Can we go get a drink or something?" Carl asked Merle. Merle nodded and went to give him some money.

"Nah dad gave me heaps and I have my own. I need to go with Judy like a police escort to keep the boys away." Carl teased Merle. Merle's eyes narrowed and he started to say something. 

"Thanks... I'm so sick of cars but mom made me come to stop dad from buying something stupid." Judith told him, "He still brought something stupid."

"What did he buy?"

"Some tee shirt that says something like 'Dad's car's rocks' or 'Pimped my ride,' or something."

"He drives a mini van." Carl laughed. They headed to get a drink and were sitting at a table. He looked across at Judith who he noticed was done up more than usual, hair, lipgloss and mascara. They soon had a steady stream of fourteen and fifteen year old boys stopping by the table to say hi to her. Carl wasn't surprised she was cute and kind to everyone. She certainly seemed popular with everyone. Something she wasn't a few weeks back, he didn't know what had changed. He looked across at her again. "Your cool Judy you sure you want to be seen with a low life like me?"

"As long as you don't go crushing on me... My daddy's a Dixon and he will kick your arse!" Judith told him, he burst out laughing because one Dixon on his arse was enough. 

"I'll try not too. Good job you are only thirteen then. Does your dad know all these boys are sniffing around?"

"Nope, don't tell him either, I don't want a boyfriend... but I got asked to the school dance by Mike. I said yes mom knows and she's going to put Mike into witness protection she said." Judith looked happy. The junior dance was in a week.

"Great you let me know if I need to kick Mike's arse too ok."

"Are you my brother now?" Judith mocked him.

"Yeah alright... I'm gonna kick everyone's arse so Merle can rest up for when he really needs to kick arse." Carl teased her. Judith reached out and grabbed his hand to shake it.

"Thanks Carl... for being nice to me all the time. I was really sad and you stuck up for me a lot and I'm not sad anymore. I don't know why you like Sophia because she's a real bitch, you need to be with someone kind and nice... I think you should ask someone else to the school dance. Not her..."

"I'll keep that in mind." Carl finished his drink and Judith had finished hers a long time before, he slung his arm over her shoulder and steered her out of the food court. "Now tell me where did you get those tee shirts, we should get one for my dad, Daryl and uncle Rick too."

 

 

 

 

 

 


	56. Chapter 56

Zac just walked to the high school. The car park was full of cars of parent and players for the game that was going on. He hadn't told Olivia he was coming. He did go from time to time but this time he wanted to go and sit with her and support her son. He weaved his way through the car's and made his way to the entrance. 

A couple of people stopped him to say hello. It was getting near  start time and he felt someone grab his elbow.

"Zac, hi... come sit with us." One of the young female high school teachers grabbed his elbow and tried to steer him towards where she was sitting. He shook his head.

"No I'm looking for someone." He mumbled, he glanced around the benches and a huge grin landed on his own face when he noticed her sitting on her own away from everyone else right down the end of the seat. "I'm with Olivia." he told her, the teacher screwed up her nose and he walked quickly down the edge of the court towards her. She was fiddling with her video camera that she didn't notice he was there until she smelt his aftershave. She looked up and grinned seeing him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, she was surprised he was there.

"Watching the game..." He told her, she looked at him with her _Really_ and he shook his head. "Just thought I could come and watch what was going on."

"You came to Mikes game to get on his good side because you? What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Olivia asked.

"I don't want him to come after me with his baseball bat if he finds out I'm sleeping with his mommy." Zac leaned over to kiss her, Olivia pulled back so he couldn't. Zac put his arm around her and pulled her in and landed one on her lips quickly.

"Well he just saw you and I guess you are lucky because he doesn't play baseball." Olivia quickly moved as a basketball come flying really close to Zac's head. He managed to catch it and give the glaring teen who just come out onto court a smile and wave. Mike had seen him kiss his mom and he didn't look overly thrilled at it.

"Mom?" Mike asked as he come up to where they were sitting. "What's going on?"

"Um.... nothing... Zac was just being silly." Olivia told him.

"Good because for a moment there I though you were going to tell me you were dating Zac." 

"And what is the problem with that?" Zac asked. "If we were?"

"Its just like you are really young and mom's not into guys anymore... and she's my mom."

"How old do you think I am?" Olivia asked him. "Of course I still like men."

"I don't know." Mike gestured to Zac, "But you are just friends right.... cos you said you would never date again, and Zac... mom?"

"Mike we can talk about this later... Zac and I are good friends and he was just being silly."

"Cos you don't like him like that... mom?" Mike looked from on to the other and at Zac's bruised neck. "Mom?" he gestured to Zac's neck. "Why do you have to embarrass me?"

"Mike I can see your coach calling you." Zac gestured towards the coach who was gesturing towards the court. Mike threw a fierce look at Zac.

"Keep your hands off my mom or else." he drew himself up to all fourteen years of height.

"Be cool Mike ok, I'm just here to watch the game. Maybe we can throw a few hoops later and chat ok?" Zac offered him.

"Ew you are together, no one ever wants to throw hoops... this is so gross... if anyone finds out they will think... my social life is over." Mike mumbled his way down the benches towards the courts and Zac couldn't help but laugh. He remembered when his mom started dating again he didn't like it either. 

"Are we that gross?" Olivia asked him.

"No... I might be but you scrub up ok."

"Flatterer," She turned her hand up on the seat beside her and Zac looked at it and put his hand into hers to give it a squeeze.

"You think he's really pissed?" Zac asked.

"No probably not. He remembers the way it was before... with his real dad. He probably just worried you will hurt me or something. I know you won't because we been friends so long I trust you."

"How can you be sure? How do you know?"

"I don't.... but I trust you anyway."

The game whistle blew and they watched her son play, after the game Olivia offered him to come back to her place then. He declined because he had some stuff to take care of before he went over. He still had a couple of jobs around his little apartment he needed to do like his washing and raid the condoms in the resource rooms. He also wanted to get Olivia some flowers or wine or both. He didn't know but he didn't want to go empty handed. 

 


	57. Chapter 57

"God damnit Carol!" Daryl rolled off his wife as she put the brakes on their afternoon make out session in the bed of their bedroom. They had originally gone for a lay down for a quick nap because it was raining out and the kids were all curled up in the lounge room watching movies. They were going to take them out ten pin bowling and have dinner at the same place soon, Daryl had gotten carried away in the bedroom. Carol reminded him she'd forgotten to pack condoms and their children were all awake and about ten feet away in the tiny house they were renting.

"Your kids are just down the hall." Carol whispered, her husband settled between her thighs and lifted his head up for a kiss.

"We could sell them." Daryl suggested.""We don't need six do we?" Daryl still had his pants on and grinding himself up and down against her trying to get some sort of friction, anything to relieve some pressure off his aching balls. "Lets go take a shower."

"No... knowing our luck Charlie will want to use the toilet."

"What does he do in there all that time?" Daryl asked her, he pulled back and looked at her. "Seriously forty five minutes I clocked him at the other night." He rolled off her and onto his back. He rubbed his dick through his pants. "What about if we give them cash and just drop them off at bowling?"

"Father of the year!" Carol rolled onto her side and rubbed her hand over his which was still rubbing his dick. "I could take care of that for you."

"You going to ... you know." Daryl looked at her mouth and suggestively down at the front of his pants.

"No... I was just going to mention that the other day when Merle bent over in those old pants he ripped them and you could see right down his butt crack." Carol giggle. Daryl frowned and looked at her.

"That wasn't funny," he growled at her.

"Did it solve your problem?"

"Hm... what about tonight we go out to the van and pretend we are teens in the back seat?" Daryl suggested.

"Well I will think about it but you will need to get condoms and get the kids asleep." Carol rolled onto him kissing him, she lay right down the front of him resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her there for as long as they had before their kids come to annoy them.

 

###################################################################

"Why are you giggling?" Daryl whispered, they were climbing into the back of the van. He had condoms in his pocket and his wife by her hand. Merle would kill him for fucking in the work van but he needed to get laid and after the evening they just had with their kids it was the only thing to keep on his tempter in check. Sophia and Dylan had both begun teasing the little kids for no other reason than they were bored and the little girls had ended up in tears and Charlie had gone to thump Sophia for making his twin cry.

"Because one of us is probably going to pull something or bang something." Carol whispered.

"We will be fine, just fine." He sat down on the back seat of the van. "Come here woman!"

"Why Daryl Dixon you do have a way with words."

Carol moved in beside him, he didn't waste any time by pulling her right onto his lap. They were in the isle seat. Carol had a knee on each side of his thighs and she looked him in the eye and lifted her shirt off over her head to reveal to him the fact she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Christ..." Daryl's face went right in between her breast, his thumb rubbing over one nipple and his mouth went to the other one. "You been walking around bra less all night?"

"No... just ten minutes before we were coming out here." Carol whispered. 

"How long do you think we have?" Daryl was already trying to undo her pants. He was aware they were almost sitting ducks outside in the drive. They told the oldest two they were going to a walk and to keep an ear out for the other children who now were finally asleep. Daryl licked her neck. She was busy trying to free him from his pants. He half lifted up his butt holding onto and she managed to get them half down. 

"An hour maybe less." Carol told him, her lips met his and they had an old fashion make out session, Daryl managed to move her so she was lying on her back on the back seat of the van in a classic high school move. He fumbled in the pocket of his jeans to get a condom. He pulled it out and put it on the bit of the seat above her head. He made his way down on her body and to her nipples. Carol threw her head back and moaned as Daryl started working her body over. 

"God your hot... when was the last time we did this?" Daryl mumbled, Carol groaned as his fingers stroked her clit. She was soaked already, she never needed to get ready for Daryl, she was so in-tuned with his, with his body and hers just knew his so completely. 

"About four days ago." She moaned, he fiddled with the condom and rolled it on. "I can't wait till we can stop using those.

"Me too. Are you sure it hasn't been longer?" He slid into her and began moving with her. He pumped into her and then surprised her by moving her so she was straddled him. Her head was thrown back and her breasts bouncing in his face as she came down hard on him. He kept pumping into her making her bounce on him he slipped his hand down between her thighs rubbing and flicking her clit to try make her come again. She slumped down on his shoulder, "Come on baby do it," He pulled her sweaty face up and made her kiss him. 

Carol groaned as she come again and he blew his load he finally let her rest her head on his shoulder. "You did good... that was... fuck me..."

"I think I just did."

They fixed their clothes up and Daryl managed to dispose of the condom into the outside bin before they walked hand in hand inside where Sophia told them they were gross and too old to be holding hands while they went out on walks. Dylan chimed in that if they got that flushed walking they should go to the doctors for a medical. Daryl and Carol just gave them dirty looks and sent them off to bed. Carol curled up on Daryls lap for a while on the couch while they watched some tv and waited for the two oldest to go to sleep. As good as Dylan was Daryl didn't trust him or Sophia as far as they could trust them.

 

 

 


	58. Chapter 58

"Carl Grimes what are you doing out and about, you usually are on a curfew arn't you?" A pretty red haired girl with a red cup of beer was standing in front of him talking to him.

"Yeah, not tonight my dad's here somewhere." Carl told her, "who are you here with?"

The red haired girl called Molly was actually in Carl's English class. "My uncle and my brother... they are car mad. So Sophia let you out?" 

It was no secret that Molly couldn't stand Sophia and Carl knew it. "She's away with her folks. I'm here with my dad so its good."

"I don't know what you see in her, she's just gonna drag you down." Molly flipped her hair and gave him a smile. Carl knew he shouldn't but he watched her arse as she walked over to where her family was. 

Damnit she was right, in those few words Sophia was dragging him down and he was almost powerless to stop it. Sophia was like a drug and he couldn't think of anyway that they could slow it down or break it up. He watched as Molly wandered off again to look at some stalls. He started to follow when someone grabbed his elbow.

"Don't do it." Judy had him by the elbow and spun him around. "Don't think I don't know what you are thinking... you going to break up with Sophia and use her to do it. Grow up be a man."

"Judy I wasn't..." Carl told her. "How old are you anyway?"

"Fourteen... to young for you if that's what you are asking... I wouldn't take Sophia's left overs anyway." Judith threw him a sassy look and stalked off to where her dad was waiting. Carl almost burst out laughing at her teasing him like that. She was pretty cute but still very young she was going to break some hearts also she was a really nice girl with it all. 

"Fuck sakes when did she turn into that..." Carl watched her go, he didn't realize that she had gone from cute pre teen to a cute teen in the matter of months. Merle didn't look like he realized either, he had his arm around her guiding her through the crowds. Yeah Judith had turned into a beauty alright. Carl shook his head when he saw the teen boys turning their heads watching her walking about.

"Carl... Carl do you want to come to a party down by the old quarry?" Molly had come back and tugged on his arm. "All those guys are going." 

Molly gestured across to a group of guys who were hanging near the entrance of the car show. Carl glanced over and tried not to show his shock, three of the baddest guys from his probabtion group were hanging out together. He grabbed Molly's hand and lead her away slightly. He stepped into her personal space, put his arm around her and threaded his fingers through her hair. Molly looked surprised but she didn't say anything.

"Do you even know them?" Carl asked looking over at the rowdy bunch again. "They don't look like your pop bunch of people. Don't be dumb by going." He bent in and kissed her briefly on her lips. Molly didn't pull back at all, but she did wonder what the hell Carl was doing.

"I'll be fine," she stammered.

"Molly... those guys they aren't having a party, they gonna take you out somewhere and get you trashed and take turns. You even think about going with them I'm gonna tell ya uncle and brother." Carl threatened to blab on her.

"You don't know anything... how do you know?" 

"That guy... the blonde one that all the girls are around. He's on probation, I run into him in the probation office. He got away with doing stuff because the girl wouldn't take it to court. He not a good guy and you don't need to do that... why don't you come to the movies with me or something." Carl pulled her close like she was her girlfriend the only way he could think of for the guys to back right off was to pretend she was his girlfriend.

"The movies? Are you asking me on a date?" Molly asked. She didn't seem to be taking any of it seriously and Carl knew he was going to get in a fight or something over another girl if he didn't watch his back.

"Shush." Carl commanded. He straightened up and his good nature went behind a hard exterior. He saw the other guys walking over to him.

"Grimes! What ya doing with my girl?" The blonde asked him.

"Fuck off I already claimed her... she's mine... so go take ya shit somewhere else." Carl's words were cold as ice and Molly stopped giggling when she realized how serious the whole situation that she got herself into was. She made a bad choice but was thankful Carl was there and he knew how to deal with these guys. "Get the fuck out of here, you ain't supposed to be mixing with each other anyway." Carl's voice dropped low and gravelly. He pulled Molly close.

For a moment there was a stand off between both teenaged boys. Carl knew he had to walk away from a fight and he was hoping the other wouldn't take it much further. The both tried to get dominance over the situation but there was no way in hell Carl was going to back down and let them take Molly. The other boys quickly become aware of that and backed off before security realized there was a problem. The blonde backed down eventually as a security guard started to become interested in them.

"She's a skank anyway," He muttered and they left.

Carl let her go and Molly just stood there in shock, the stand off between the two was terrifying. She realized that she mad a really bad choice. She was thankful he was there to save her.

"Thankyou .... I'm so stupid." 

"You are not... you just need to do stuff with people you trust. Not new people." Carl told her. He walked her through the show found her uncle and gave her his cell phone number to text her if she wanted to do something later on in the evening or not. He told her where they were staying and reminded her he was on a curfew. She hugged and thanked him and again and Carl took off to find his dad.

 


	59. Chapter 59

"Rick, its Axel.... I'm gonna need you to come down to the hospital." Axel called Rick later that night around eleven pm.

"What whats going on?"

"Carl's been in a fight.... well he wasn't in a fight he was jumped outside the movies, they think he's got broken ribs." Axel tried to explain over the phone. Axel had gone running off from his sure thing date when he found out something happened to Carl. Even though Carl was practically an adult when he got the call all the things he thought he was lacking as a parent kicked in and he bolted to make sure he was ok. Rick was going through the same thing on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah ok... is he ok?"

"His pride, look he was defending a young lady, looks like there is more to the story than he's saying," Axel told him. He only had parts of the story. Carl wasn't saying much and the girl had been taken off to get checked over and the police were waiting to talk to her. They wanted to arrest Carl and have him on breach of his probation. Axel managed to stall everything until Rick arrived and they got to the bottom of everything. Carl wasn't well enough to go anywhere anyway according to the doctor who assessed him as they come in. He had some pain meds on board in the ambulance but nothing since he arrived at the hospital.

"We will be half an hour." Rick told him, he reached forward and turned the lights on, told Shane where to head and he got dispatch to put him through to the hospital so he could find out what the hell was going on. He found out quickly that Carl had been in a fight with three others. He was with a young female at the movies when they were attacked when leaving. Rick thought Sophia was still in Daryl's care so he was really confused, apparently the young female was roughed up also.

They pulled into the emergency bay, Rick climbed out. He was still full in uniform and Shane drove off to park the squad car. He found Axel with Carl lying on his side with a blanket pulled right up over his head. Axel waved him over and a nurse come to see him.

"Officer Grimes? Your nephew has two broken ribs, a broken nose and a black eye. None of which are life threatening but he's going to need to stay in over night." She told him. She passed him some papers to give him more treatment. Rick walked around the bed, Carl dropped the sheet a tiny bit so Rick could see his face.

"God damn... what the hell happened." Rick asked.

"Nothing.... its nothing." Carl mumbled.

"Don't lie Carl you need to tell on them." A pretty little red head come close to the bed, she was with her brother, she quickly introduced them. "My brother Aaron, his boyfriend Eric. Um my uncle is about somewhere." She grabbed Carls hand and gave it a squeeze, both Axel and Rick looked at each other thinking that this girl was extremely friendly with Carl.

"Molly don't.." Carl tried to stop her from talking worried that it was just going to get him into more trouble. He already knew he would get a beat down if he talked to the cops, there was a code and these guys were with a gang even though they were supposed to be keeping out of trouble. They were the type that just didn't care.

"Its too late I already gave their names to the police." 

"Molly... why?" Carl tried to move but he started groaning about his ribs.

"Because you were fighting three guys because of me and you didn't have too... its all my fault." Molly tried to tell Rick and Axel, her brother looked pissed with her. "It is because I did something stupid Carl had to protect me, I thought they were nice guys but they weren't then he got them away this afternoon but they must have seen us coming out of the movies and they started a fight as we come out into the car park."

Carl groaned as she gave the names to Rick. Some more police come to talk to Rick, Carl refused to talk to them. Rick looked at Carl and frowned, "You know by not telling that next time they might get a young girl.... Sophia.... Judith... hell even someone younger."

Carl growled at the girls names and he waved the cop back over to talk.

Shane finally arrived back in the ER, he had a funny look on his face. "Rick we need to go, there's been a high speed joy ride go wrong and we have one teen dead and two critical on the highway," 

"We know who?" Rick asked.

"Nah... sounds like they were well known and drunk and high as kites. Two are on their way in in a bus and we need to do traffic control." Shane nodded to the other police. Rick looked at Carl who flung his arm over his eyes after hearing what he heard. They all knew who it was, Carl felt bad for feeling relief that they were gone and he didn't have to run into them again, then he felt guilty because they were high and drunk when they attacked him and Molly. They left in the car and they didn't do anything to stop them even though they were drunk. He was confused because he should feel bad but he didn't. One less rapist off the street.

"I give Carl the right to give consent to his own treatment." Rick told the nurse, he wrote it down and signed it and handed it to her. "He's eighteen in a month," He walked over to Carl and gave him a kiss on the forehead which made Carl groan again. He said goodnight to Axel who was sitting in a chair right beside the bed now looking like he was settled until they moved Carl. Molly and her brother were still hovering nearby. The uncle and boyfriend had gone out. Molly come over to say goodbye.

"Thank you for what you did. And tell Sophia she's a lucky girl... and if things don't work out there...." She bent over and brushed her lips on his forehead and then she said goodbye to Axel and left with her much older brother.

"They are going to have trouble with her." Axel commented.

"She's nice, she's just a bit stupid trusting people." Carl mumbled. "Give me your phone." 

"Why?"

"Wanna talk to Soph." Carl mumbled, he was getting tired and he knew they would give him a shot to make him sleep soon. "Please make Daryl let her talk to me."

"Ok." Axel stood up and made a call.

******************************************************

Daryl moaned not in a good way as he rolled over to answer his cell phone. He was wrapped up in arms and legs of Carols and he grabbed at his phone.

"lo?" he mumbled.

"Daryl.... its Axel, there's been a bit of a ... Carl's in hospital... look he wants to talk to Sophia," Axel told him.

"Shit is he ok?"

"Broken ribs, nose, he's going to be ok, but ... he wants to talk to Sophia cos he's missing her right now."

"Yeah... hang on I'll have to wake her."

Axel could hear Daryl waking Sophia up and he handed Carl the phone.

"Carl?" Sophia's voice come over the phone. He could hear Daryl talking in the background telling her what happened.

"I'm ok..." He could hear her start to cry. "I'm ok... I just wanted to hear your voice." He glanced over at his dad who quickly become engrossed in reading a chick flick magazine. "You going to hear stuff about what happened but I wanted to tell you what the truth is."

"Your ok."

"Listen to me... I went to the movies with Molly and some guys who were hitting on her earlier jumped me and want her to go with them."

"You went to the movies with her." Sophia sounded confused.

"As friends... I love you Soph... people are going to twist it... the guys that jumped me had an accident... crashed their car one's dead." Carl told her. "Nothing happened with Molly, I pretended to be her boyfriend because they wouldnt' leave her alone. Judith was there, she will tell you."

"Judy? Where are you? Are you ok... can I come?" Sophia sounded like she was crying, Carl watched them come over and inject some pain meds in his drip.

"Soph I'll be home tomorrow. I love..." Carl fell asleep.

Axel picked up the phone to tell Sophia what happened, he then talked with Daryl about what happened too.


	60. Chapter 60

Sophia drove herself over to see Carl the moment they arrived at home. The family packed up early because they were all worried about Carl. Sophia hadn't slept a great deal since speaking to Carl during the night. They arrived home and Carol and Daryl were packing their younger kids off to Merle and Andrea because Dylan was heading down to visit the Rhee's to see Jasper.

Axels car was parked outside Rick's place when Sophia pulled up outside, there was another car there that she didn't know. She went up the steps and knocked on the door. Sasha opened it and gave Sophia a friendly smile.

"He's on the couch, you need to tell him to take his pain meds because he's trying to be staunched." She told Sophia.

Sophia followed her into the house and saw Carl with a blanket and pillow lying on his side on the couch, Sophia took a look around and her eyes narrowed when she reconized Molly from school sitting across from him. Carl looked up seeing her and he looked a tiny bit sheepish because she was there.

"Babe, I'm ok," He told her holding out his hand to her to come sit by him, she slid into the gap made by his body so she was sitting int the gap by his lap. Sophia saw his bruised face and bent over to kiss him. Claim him because she didn't know why Molly was even there. She looked at Carl with a question.

"Hi Molly," Sophia said, "How are you?"

"I'm good, I was just checking on Carl after he saved me twice yesterday." Molly said, she glanced towards Carl and Sophia saw how she was looking at Carl and Sophia did not like it at all. She wanted to reach across and slap her for looking at Carl like that.

Carl put his hand up the back of Sophia's shirt because he just knew his girlfriend wasn't too happy about it. He stroked the back of her spine t0o keep her from saying something.

"Sasha said you didn't take your meds," Sophia turned her attention back to Carl. Carl nodded to the table with meds on in with a glass of water on it. Sophia leaned forward to get the pills and the glass, Molly saw where Carl's hand was and her face turned sour. Molly didn't see what Carl saw in Sophia and she now was on a mission to try turn Carl's eyes her way. Sophia was helping him take his meds and Carl was trying to pretend it didn't hurt but Sophia could see it was hurting him to move.

"Should you even be home?" Sophia asked him.

"Yeah I've my own doctor here." Carl told her.

"How did it even happen how did you get hurt?" Sophia asked him. 

Carl went to talk when Molly blurted out, "Well after Carl kissed me in the afternoon he invited me to the movies... then after the movies we were going back to his car and he got jumped."

Sophia only heard one word and Carl knew it, he grabbed the back of her pants because he didn't know if she was going to do hit Molly or something.

"It wasn't like that Soph, Molly was hooking up with these bad guys I knew from probation and the only way I could get them to leave her alone was to pretend she was my girlfriend. One of them was real bad... like they would of ... you know gang.... " Carl mouthed the last word to her aware that his smaller cousins would be around or something and his uncle would be driven crazy if he had to explain what Carl meant. "We were just hanging out not on a date or nothing."

"I know," Sophia said, she tried to pretend she didn't care about what Molly said she just lay her hand on Carl's arm.

"Um Molly, I'm really tired, do you mind heading out me and Soph are going to go for a lie down and watch a dvd in my bed." In that one sentence he put molly in her place and Sophia knew nothing had happened between them. She knew that Carl was telling the truth. Molly left quickly after Carl told her it was time to go. Sasha come across looking at both Sophia and Carl.

"I don't think you both are going for a lie down." Sasha told them, "Not on my watch your daddy will kill me and Carl your uncle would not be a happy man."

"Can't we just lie on top of the bed with the tv on? Door open... its not like we can do anything." Carl told her, "You slipped me a sleeping pill."

"Alright, no funny business," Sasha come forward to help him stand and shuffle his way into the bedroom. Rick had taken the younger kids out to a movie to get them out of the house and Sasha was just getting some odd jobs done. It was all Carl could do was to shuffle his way to his bed, which was off the lounge anyway with by-folding doors like ranch sliders to make the room bigger. Sasha helped him onto the bed and shoved a pillow behind him. Sophia turned the tv on and put a dvd on, one of their favourites that they had seen before and she moved over slipping onto the bed in front of him. 

"I don't have anything to worry about?" Sophia asked Carl, she turned her head slightly so she could see his face, he used his chin to tuck her head back down do he could see the tv. "About Molly? Nothing happened right?"

"Nothing happened that you don't know about, it was just to keep her safe from those dicks," Carl told her. 

They heard a knock at the door and someone enter the room, it was Judith, she had come to visit with Daryl and Carol. She wouldn't stay behind when she heard that Carl had been hurt. She stood there looking at them on the bed.

"I'm ok princess, pull up a seat." Carl told her, Sophia looked at Judith who was clearly upset.

"Are you really?" Judith took a step into the room.

"Sit behind us or in front of Sophia and watch the movie." Carl invited her, he wasn't surprised when she chose to go behind him leaning against the head board because he knew she couldn't stand Sophia. Carl looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile. "I'm ok, I promise,"

"Ok... I was worried they said those boys died... and they were there." Judy said.

"Wait a minute you were there?" Sophia asked Judith.

"Only for a bit with dad, for lunch then we come home." Judy said. Sophia narrowed her eyes and looked at Carl, he never mentioned Judith or Molly both being there together. She was over reacting about both girls. Judy was too young and Molly... was just Molly, what she didn't know was that Carl had reached out in a brother type role to Judith and he wasn't going to put up with Sophia picking on her anymore.

 

 

 


	61. Chapter 61

Dylan was sitting out on the wrap around porch at the Dixon house cuddling Jasper and talking to him telling him that he was special and Beth Greene was the biggest bitch he ever come across and she was no aunty to him so he didn't have to worry because his mommy and daddy loved him with all their heart. 

Dylan couldn't believe when he arrived that Glenn was out on the deck with Jaxon while Beth was throwing a fit inside at Maggie about Zac going out with Olivia. Glenn looked relieved to see Dylan and asked him if he would mind watching Jaxon while he took Beth to a motel. Maggie was crying because Beth was saying terrible things about her baby and Dylan picked up the diaper bag and walked up the road with Jasper in his arms. 

Beth was saying something about Zac banging the help and that she couldn't love a baby that wasn't a real Greene because Jasper was adopted. Glenn and Maggie told Dylan not to listen to her and they loved Jasper. Dylan walked up the road with the words she flung around ringing around in his head. He was now sitting on the old porch swing giving Jasper a bottle talking to him while he drank.

"Everyone loves you, Carol, Daryl they love you, all the kids.... Merle and Andrea... everyone does just she's a crazy bitch." Dylan kissed his little head, "And you have a new brother or sister coming too. You are going to be a big brother... and you are going to share your mommy and daddy."

"You are special you know that... so lucky... luckier than me... I only got lucky since I had you. Now I have a home... I ain't really ever had a home and you have a mommy and daddy that love you to bits, I love ya..." Dylan wiped his eyes and the words that Beth flung at them still stung. 

Beth found out that Dylan had access to Jasper and called Maggie stupid, and that was when Glenn had to get her out of their house. He didn't want Beth anywhere near Jasper, he highly doubted that they would want her anywhere near their house again. Dylan leaned back on the swing watching Jaxon's eyes close as he fell asleep in his arms. Babies were so trusting, they relied on your for everything.

Dylan watched the drive seeing a car driving up the drive. He knew it was Maggie and she was probably going to be upset. He didn't really do upset girls at all, Maggie climbed out of her car and he could tell she was crying. Dylan watched her climb the steps to the wrap around porch and spread her arm's about and shrugged as to say she didn't know what to say. 

"Its ok... she's a bitch..." Dylan said quietly, "I know you don't share her views."

Maggie sat on the swing beside Dylan, "I'm so sorry Dylan... I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with her... last night she did something at Zac's place and today... she's just been dreadful."

"She can't be around Jasper its not fair." Dylan moved a bit in his seat to shift Jasper from his arms to his mothers arms so Maggie could cuddle him. "I don't want him to think he's different... I know you and Glenn love him. Beth can't be around him anymore."

"She won't... I promise." Maggie took her son and turned him over her shoulder and rubbed his back. Jasper was milk drunk and his head was lolling to one side with milk dribbling out the side of his mouth. Dylan reached out and wiped it with his finger. "You will make a great dad one day you know that right?"

"I know... thanks for letting me see him." Dylan said quietly. Maggie and Dylan sat together watching the baby sleep rocking the swing with their feet not talking but enjoying the comfortable silence until Glenn arrived to let them know he put Beth into a motel.

###################################################

Beth slammed her suitcase shut, she couldn't believe that Glenn dumped her out of the car and dropped her at a shitty motel. He paid for it for a week and then he told Beth in no certain terms not to come near Maggie again without his clearance or he would slap a restraining order on her super fast that she would end up in court and he had nothing but money and time to keep her arse in a holding cell overnight. 

Beth had never seen Glenn so mad before and Maggie was all gooed eyed over her baby that morning that she wouldn't listen to her complain about Zac's girlfriend. Beth couldn't believe he chose her out of all the women she could have chosen ever. She didn't even know why she bothered to come back to this town, then she remembered that she had no friends, and she got fired from her last job for trying to sleep her way to management. The business owners had soon heard about what she was doing and fired her and the other manager on the spot. No references, no apartment and no savings. She was going to have to get a job somewhere. Fast. She kinda hoped she could throw Glenn a sob story and he would pay for another week in the motel.

 She had to do something to get her dinner paid for, she headed out of her unit and walked along seeing a red haired man coming out of his unit, she plastered a smile on her face and a sway to her hips as she approached him, thinking a guy in a motel had to be lonely right.

"Hi there... do you know if the restaurant is open?" Beth asked him, "I'm Beth."

"Axel... um I don't know maybe you should go look." Axel told her, "Sorry I've got to go see my son... nice meeting you Beth."

Beth frowned as she watched the man walk across to a beat up car. She was annoyed he was usually the lonely type she could get to buy her a meal or something. She fixed her top and looked in her wallet, she didn't have a great deal of cash left, she should have kept her mouth shut about Maggies baby then she wouldn't be looking for some guy to buy her dinner. Or some women she wasn't fussy. She could go either way if it meant she got what she wanted.

A car drove past her on the street, she glanced at it seeing it was Zac and his girlfriend. That made her want to stamp her feet with anger, instead she plastered a fake smile on her face to go into the bar to see if someone would buy her dinner.


	62. Chapter 62

Carl was standing in the bathroom looking at the bruises on his body, turning looking over his shoulder. His aunt was trying to clean up one nasty cut on his shoulder. She was just putting a clean bandage on it and Carl moving about was making it hard for her to tape it up. 

 

"Keep still honey," Sasha was using her mom voice to try get him to stand still. 

 

"It hurts."

 

"More than all these tattoo's you have on your back?" Sasha's voice had a smile in it he could hear it in her voice he didn't need to turn around to know she was smiling. She was mostly always smiling at everyone, at her kids, at Rick and at him. You knew when she was mad and she would tell you why she was mad. He loved living here with his aunt and uncle and they been trying so hard to include him in all parts of family lives.

 

"Maybe..."

 

Sasha finished up his back and they headed back into the family room. Rick was asleep on the couch. They had kept Carl home from school for a few days to help him recover. Sasha indicated for him to sit at the kitchen table while she made him something to eat. He knew she was going to talk to him and he knew it would be about Sophia. 

 

“You know she isn’t  good for you.” Sasha started to say, “You only have a couple of months left on probation then your record is closed. You are taking a big risk while she’s testing all the boundaries.”

 

“I love her though.” Carl bit into his sandwich, they both glanced over to make sure Rick was still sleeping.

 

“It's ok to love someone even though that person isn’t good for you. It’s not ok to risk your whole freedom because loving someone who could take all that from you.”

 

“I’m in too deep.” Carl admitted he had no idea how to even go about breaking up with Sophia even if he wanted to.

 

“I could ground you. Get you a job at the hospital as a candy striper instead of going to the garage.” Sasha suggested.

 

“Guys do that?” He asked.

 

“You would probably have to wear long sleeves or those bands you wear for school but you would be working on my ward so I can keep an eye on you. And yes guys can do that and it will look great on your c.v to try get a scholarship to college if you want to go to college? Or you can go to community college and stay with us when you leave high school?” Sasha informed him.

 

“Really I don’t have to go?”

 

“We love you stupid…” Sasha reached over and rubbed his arm. “You are stuck with us now.”

 

“Sash… yeah I’d like you to ground me and pull me out of the Dixon’s program.” Carl said. 

 

Sasha smiled pleased she had given him the choice. She glanced over to the couch and could see that Rick wasn’t really asleep but as long as Carl did not know he was listening that was even better. She had already talked it over with Daryl trying to get them apart until Carl turned eighteen. 

 

Carl did not know how this was all going to go over with Sophia she was so strong minded and he needed Sasha and Rick to really watch out for him and maybe he could even talk them into taking away the keys to his car. Drop him to and from school and maybe even take his cell phone. Sophia was going to kill him for doing this without telling her first.

 

Carl went through to his bedroom to make the dreaded phone call to blame it all on Rick and Sasha that he was not allowed to see her anymore and they were pulling him from the program. 

 

When his bedroom door closed Rick lifted his head up off the couch. “Remind me never to double cross you.”

 

“He needed an out. I don’t mind being the evil bitch aunt.” Sasha told him.

 

“You are not a bitch.” Rick said, Sasha walked over and sat down in front of him leaning over to kiss him on the mouth. “Just a little bit evil sometimes.” 

 

They both chuckled and Rick pulled her on top of him and kissed his wife some more. 

 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

 

Sophia was so mad when she talked to Carl on the phone. She could not believe that Rick and Sasha were doing this to them. She stormed out into the lounge room at Shanes and glared at him.

 

“I suppose you both were in on this too were you?” She growled at them.

 

“What?” Rosita asked her, she yawned, her head was resting on Shane's lap they were both watching tv and were thinking that they should be heading towards bed. That was until Sophia stormed the lounge.

 

“Pulled Carl out of the program and making him be a candy striper with Sasha and banned him from seeing me until he’s eighteen?” Sophia all but yelled at them.

 

Rosita  lifted her head to glance up at Shane to see if he knew anything about what Sophia was yelling about. Shane shrugged not knowing what was going on.

 

“I don’t know anything about it. Whatever Rick and Sasha choose to do for Carl is up to them. They are his guardians and we are yours right now.” Shane told her. “Now give me your phone and your wallet.”

 

“Why.”

 

“Because I don’t trust you not to go storming over there or something. If I take your phone and wallet your chances of going across town lessens.” Shane told her. “Also Sophia… if you climb out your window you will regret it.”

  
Sophia tried to stare him down but in the end Shane won and Sophia handed over the items he requested, she thought she would just see Carl at school tomorrow and they would sneak around. She did not know Carl had agreed to all this.


	63. Chapter 63

“Get in the car Sophia…” Daryl was fuming mad, he’d just been called to the school because Sophia punched Carl Grimes in study hall.

 

“You can’t do that.” Sophia hissed at him.

 

“You finish high school Sophia, you are being suspended with action to be expelled, we don’t have any other choice.” Daryl tried to reason with her, he was holding open the car door waiting for her to get in. “Get in the car.”

 

Sophia was going crazy her eyes were wild and she was being unreasonable. He’d just had to sit through a meeting one of the most embarrassing in his whole life, Carol wasn’t there because she was on a field trip with another class and they would not wait. He had to sit and listen the the fact that Sophia had gotten mad and punched the boy in the arm and it had been seen by the duty teacher. Carl said it had been blown out of proportion and it wasn’t a big deal. 

 

Daryl was embarrassed and mortified about the whole situation. Rick Grimes had to come in and the school had suggested that Daryl remove her from the school before they expelled her and it was on her record. Daryl asked for her transfer papers to be completed and he already made up his mind to put her into boarding school.

 

Sophia had to go through the school's bullying program where she had to face Carl and give him apology for losing her temper. Carol was going to lose her mind when she found out he was taking her out of school. Carl had accepted it only because he didn’t want Sophia to get into any more trouble. He regretted telling her he wanted to get through until he was eighteen without her dragging her into anymore trouble.

 

Rick wanted to know if Carl was going to be in any trouble at all. They told Rick that Carl was not to be blamed for anything to do with Sophia. In fact Carl was just about on the honor roll and was well on his way to graduate. 

 

Daryl was mortified with the performance Sophia was putting on in the car park. She was refusing to get into the car.

 

“I hate you!” She hissed at Daryl.

 

“Please just get in the car, your mom will be home soon and we can talk about it then.” Daryl told her.

 

“I’m not going to boarding school…” she screamed at him, after all the problems they had had with her she never screamed at him. “You can’t make me… you’re not my real father.”

 

Daryl stared at her for a full minute. He slammed the door shut he had been holding open for her. He stepped towards her and said in a low tone that she knew he meant business.

 

“Never ever say that to me again!” He turned and walked around to the driver's side, got in the car. He sat there for a few seconds shocked that he come so close to wanting to throttle her. He started the car and drove off leaving her standing there with her backpack in the car park.

 

Rick Grimes come out of the school. He was in his uniform and he looked seeing Daryl driving off, he didn’t know what happened but it had to be big for him to leave Sophia standing there.

 

“Get in the car.” Rick told her.

 

“No!” She blurted.

 

“Get in the car.”

 

Sophia moved to run away from him as he went to take her by the arm. He had no choice but to follow through and place her in the back of his police car. She had to be enrolled in school and she was breaking all her rules on her action plan. If Daryl couldn’t manage her he would even if he had to cuff her in front of the school.

 

“I will cuff you… so either get in the car with cuffs or without its up to you.” She complied getting into the back of the car. Rick made sure she was in before slamming the back of the car. He knew they were in for another rough Sophia ride.

**********************************************

 

Daryl pulled into the car park at the garage and turned the car off. He put his head in his hands wondering where the hell they had gone wrong with Sophia. His phone was ringing in his pocket. He didn’t want to answer it because it would be something about Sophia again or her ringing to abuse him some more. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked hit answer when he saw it was the primary school.

 

He spoke saying he would be there in five minutes. Started his car up again and headed towards the primary school. Cameron was in sick bay screaming with a sore stomach and the ambulance was on its way to the school because her temperature was so high.

 

Daryl felt like the worst parent ever due to the fact she said she had a sore tummy in the morning and he dropped her at school anyway telling her she would be fine. He put it down to the fact they were having a maths test.

 

He pulled into the car park moments behind the ambulance, a police car pulled up and Daryl could see Shane Walsh getting out. They always came when it was a call out to the school. Daryl was racing up the step wondering if the police and ambulance were an over kill for a kid who wanted out of a test.

 

He went up the steps with Shane heading to the school. They both headed into the sick bay and try to find out what was going on with Cameron. He walked in seeing his youngest daughter pale and sweating. Her twin looked frantic and was holding her hand. Charlie looked up with his big blue eyes expecting his dad to fix her.

“Christ…” Daryl muttered, Cameron started crying. Daryl moved over and come to her side putting his hand on her head. She didn’t look like this when he dropped her at school earlier that morning. He felt guilty that he ignored her telling her that she was sick thinking that she was lying to get out of going to school.

 

“We are going to get you better Cam... Its going to be ok.” Daryl tried to tell her, he pulled Charlie back as the medics set to work putting a line in her and prepped her to be transported to the hospital. He kept his arm’s around Charlie who was freaking out that his best friend and twin was not doing so well.

 

They asked Daryl if he wanted to ride with her in the ambulance and he nodded and looked at Charlie and Shane stepped in stating he would bring Charlie with him in the police car. Daryl nodded and signed the bit of paper the school threw at him to sign both his kids out of class. The school said they would keep Eden and Jordan until after school until someone come to get them. Shane told them he would come get them when school finished.

 

Daryl was already gone with Cameron when Shane come out with Charlie. He buckled him in the back seat of his car and followed at a distance to the hospital. Charlie was quiet for the first time ever and he looked pale himself.

 

“You sick too?” he asked Charlie.

 

“No… but Cameron’s got a sore tummy.” The little boy looked like he was going to cry. Shane didn’t know how to go about comforting Daryl’s youngest. Out of all his kids he probably spent the least amount of time talking to him because the little guy was always doing stuff. He was always trailing along behind Daryl like he was the freaken piped piper or something. He just was always there but he wasn’t much of a talker like his dad. Unless Charlie had something important to say he just didn’t say anything. However with his twin he had heard him talking non stop with her racing around the yard at family get togethers. Daryl’s girls told you everything right from they might have got new socks to new hair clips you heard it all. And of course Sophia he had plenty to do with her now.

 

“She’s going to get looked at by the doctor, Aunty Sasha’s going to meet the Ambulance so she’s going to have the best care.” Shane told her.

 

Shane and Charlie showed up about ten minutes after everyone else and were sent to cool their heels in the waiting room while Cameron was in accident and emergency being assessed. They finally let Charlie through because Cameron was becoming distressed when they told her that she had to have her appendix out.

 

Daryl had been frantically calling Carol on her cell phone but she wasn’t picking it up and he knew she had put it on silent and she wouldn’t check it until later. He signed the paper work and tried to make all the promises in the world that he would be there the moment she woke up. He also told her he wouldn’t leave her until she went to sleep and he would be waiting just outside for her.

 

Shane and Charlie followed along to the operation floor. Daryl helped Cameron into her gown she was supposed to wear and she cried when she realized that she wasn’t going to be wearing any underwear. Daryl assured her that she would have that part of her body covered it was just because they couldn’t have anything in the way to take them out. 

 

They gave Cameron some pre meds and she was giggling looking at her twin. Charlie just stood there holding her hand not talking to anyone but whispering to Cameron every now and again. Daryl was standing in the corner of the room trying to ring Carol again he was dressed in blue scrubs because he was allowed to go into the operating room with her until they put her to sleep. But he just couldn’t get through.

 

He asked Shane to watch Charlie while he went with Cameron. He never felt so sick in his life when he tried to talk Cameron into letting the man sitting at the head of the table put a mask on her face. Cameron wasn’t keen until Daryl promised her that he would take her out for a daddy Cameron date doing whatever she wanted to do. Cameron always wanted to do things with just him but they never did because Daryl never had time because the other kids wanted to come and Sophia had taken up so much of his time lately. 

 

Cameron nodded that the man could put the mask on her face and she did drift off to sleep. He stood staring at her and bent to kiss her then the escorted him from the room. He went to the change room they showed him into and took off the green scrubs with a shaking hand.

 

He decided to try and call Sophia to see if she would go to pick up her sisters after school and sit with them until Andrea and Merle could take them home. 

  
  


He rang her number and he knew she wouldn’t pick up. Carol was still not picking up and he never felt so alone with his parenting sitting waiting in the waiting room waiting for his daughter to come back into recovery. 

 

*******************

 

“You going to answer that?” Carl Grimes looked up from his spot between Sophia Dixon’s thighs, “Its the fifth time he’s rung.”

 

Sophia threw him a dirty look and Carl put his head back down carrying on with what he was doing. Both of them were up in the hay loft on her parents farm. Carl had text her to apologize and picked her up, he had study hall all afternoon and he slipped out picking her up going out to her parents farm knowing no one would be there for hours.

 

They had done it before, driven his car around back so it couldn’t be seen from the road and spent a few hours in the hay loft. Sophia was still upset that Carl wanted to cool things down and he had been able to convince her that he was going to be eighteen soon and when they finished high school they could do whatever they wanted and his probation would close.

 

“No…” She whispered, Carl climbed his way up her body kissing his way up. He couldn’t stop wanting to be with her even though he had agreed to stop seeing her. He needed her like she was a drug.

“Your dad’s going to kill us.”

 

“Only if he finds out.””

 

****************************

 

They brought Charlie through to him to wait for Charlotte, they had told him everything was going like text book and that they would probably be another hour at least if he wanted to eat or nap on the chair. Daryl shook his head. Charlie sat quietly swinging his legs back and forward. Daryl gave him some change for the vending machine and he come back eating crisps and he had a drink. He sat eating them swinging his legs back and forward.

 

Daryl looked at his phone it was ringing and it was Carol calling.

 

“What’s up?” Carols voice come through the phone.

 

“Cam… she’s in hospital… appendix, she’s in surgery now.” Daryl blurted into the phone. He tried to answer all Carols questions, she told him they were nearly at the school and she would come in her car the moment she arrived.

 

True to her word Carol come rushing into the waiting room half an hour later. She rushed to Daryls arms hugging him. Demanding to know what was happening.

 

Daryl shook his head with that he had been given no news since he had spoken to her. Carol reached out and hugged Charlie. The little boy tried to climb up into her lap like he used to but now he was to big to fit but Carol let him anyway. She rubbed his back while they sat waiting for Cameron.

 


	64. Chapter 64

  
Rick Grimes was driving around town. He had taken his eyes off Sophia for five minutes and she was gone. He didn’t know how she had disappeared so fast. He was taking a hunch and trying to think like a nearly seventeen year old girl who wanted to be with her seventeen year old boyfriend. He started heading out to the Dixon farm knowing that the kids would think no one would be there until five.

He drove up the drive not seeing any cars or anything about. He drove right up to the house and he spotted Carl’s car behind the barn.

“God damn it!” He muttered to himself.

“Carl… Sophia…” Rick called out when he entered the barn, he heard whispering and fumbling and finally his nephew called out.

“Rick?”

“Carl… is Sophia with you”

“How mad are you right now?” Carl called down.

“Look Carl Sophia’s sister is in the hospital and her folks need to know where she is.” Rick called out.

“I’m here. Who is it?” Sophia lifted her head. She had quickly gotten dressed and started climbing down the ladder.

“Cameron, she has appendicitis and she’s having them out now.” Rick said.

“Is she going to be ok?” Sophia asked.

“She’s going to be fine.” Rick told her. “Your mom and dad are there they have Charlie.”

Sophia nodded and followed Rick out, she pulled out her phone to call her dad back and let them know that she got the message. She listened and agreed to bring her sisters out to the hospital to see Cameron after dinner. She said goodbye to Carl and told him she would text him later when he climbed sheepishly down from the loft.

Rick didn’t really have anything to say to anyone he was pretty much done with Sophia for the day and he really would sigh a sigh of relief when they put her into boarding school. Then he hoped most of their problems would be over until Carl was eighteen.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sophia walked her sisters through the main doors of the hospital. She knew they didn’t like her and to be honest she didn’t really like them either. She didn’t really know when it happened but when they arrived they took up so much of her mother and fathers time and she not long been adopted by Daryl she wasn’t up for sharing and they arrived so quickly.

“Is Cam ok?” Eden asked Sophia.

“I think so. She’s in her room.” Sophia told her.

“Charlie?” Jordan asked. “Did he stay?”

“Yes and he will come home tonight.” Sophia said, “Then in a few days cameron will come home.”

“Why do you hate us?” Eden asked Sophia, “And why do you keep making daddy mad?”

“And mama sad?” Jordan added.

Sophia didn’t have a chance to answer, they spotted their mama coming to meet them. The girls threw themselves at her. Sophia stood back and watched the hugs. Her mother looked tired and stressed. Carol held her hand out to encourage her to come in for a hug too.

  
Sophia gave up and stepped into being held. It did feel good for the moment to be that close to her mom.

“Thankyou for bringing them.” Carol said, she guided them to the lifts and took them up to see Cameron. She was sound asleep in the bed anyway with Charlie sound asleep in the bed beside her.

“They have been like that ever since they brought her back from surgery.” Carol told them.

Sophia looked around and saw her dad sitting there with his head back on the seat, mouth open and sound asleep also. How he was sleeping through the noise of the girls talking and the beeping of machines she had no idea. But he slept that way for a good fifteen minutes before opening his eyes and looking around.

“Everyone ok.” He asked through sleepy eyes.

“Everyone’s fine…” Carol looked his way with raised eyebrows. “Maybe you need to take the kids home and I’ll stay here with Cam. Get Sophia to drive you look dead on your feet.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Daryl stood on the front porch dressed only in his jeans with them hanging low smoking and drinking a cup of coffee watching daylight break. He looked over his shoulder checking the inside of the house. Carol would kill him for smoking this close to the house, she didn’t like he still smoked and he was smoking more and more theses days than he ever did.

He savoured his coffee and did a mental check list of all the jobs he had to do himself and the jobs he could spread between the kids before going back to the hospital to see his little girl.

He heard the front door creak open and bare feet pad across the deck. He felt arms wrap around him from behind and a kiss panted on the back of his neck. He drank the last mouthful of coffee and dropped his smoke butt into his coffee cup and set it on the porch rail.

“Thats gross Daryl.” Carol said as she planted another kiss near his ear.

“I’ll wash it, I had no where else to put it.” He waited for her to say he shouldn’t be smoking near the house but she said nothing.

“Tired?”

“Hm… I’ll be ok.” He turned and pulled her close to him. “Bloody kids kicked us out of our own bed.”

Daryl had arrived home with the kids and managed to get them all into bed except his little shadow who hadn’t wanted to leave the hospital and hung around at the bottom of the stairs into his parents bedroom when Daryl finally relented and let him come up into bed with him. Daryl had fiddled with the tv up there until he found the movie channel and Charlie had settled down to watch a movie.

One by one he had given up area’s of his bed that he was actually trying to sleep in for kids. He had taken a shower and when he come out he found that Dylan had joined the party and was the only one actually asleep on a bedroll on the floor by the bed. Sophia actually was snuggled around Charlie keeping him company and Eden and Jordan were looking glassy eyed trying to stay awake.

He went down stairs looking for somewhere to sleep when the last little girl outlasting Sophia fell asleep. He took Sophia’s and Dylan’s cell phones off the bedside tables and turned off the alarms with the next day being Saturday all the kids could sleep as long as possible.

He finally settled to sleep in Sophia’s bed, it was the only one that was bigger than a single bed that he could stretch out in. He was sound asleep with his mouth open snoring when he felt a shake on his shoulder.

“Move over.” Come the request.

Daryl mumbled something and moved over for Carol to slip in in the front of him. He rolled over into her side wrapping his arms around her. She was cold and her feet were freezing as they were rubbing up and down his legs.

“What are you doing here?” He mumbled.

“Sasha come onto ward at ten so she there until eight I think. So she said she would call me. Cam was ok with that.” Carol whispered kissing him gently on the side of his neck. Daryl grumbled something that Carol hadn’t known what but it was clear he was going back to sleep. She run her hand down his chest and tucked a finger into the waistband of his boxers. “All the kids are asleep.”

“I know they took over the bed.” Daryl mumbled kissing her on her mouth. “Now go to sleep cos I ain’t doing what you think we are doing in here.”

“I really need… I’m stressed out…” Carol whispered dipping her hand further into his boxers, his dick betrayed him and he mumbled something that Carol didn’t understand and started getting out of the bed.

“Where are we going?” Carol asked him as he sleepily led her out onto the landing, he was looking around for somewhere to go, in the end he pulled her down the stairs to the lounge room and then through to the laundry. He lifted her up onto the washing machine and leaned in to kiss her.

“You want me to turn it on?” He whispered into her ear.

Carol just giggled at the lengths he was going to. She hadn’t been bothered either way. He leaned over and turned the machine on behind her and she felt the vibrations all the way up her core. He rubbed his thumbs across her nipples over top of her tee shirt. He stared at them with his eyes gazing over watching them harden.

“Fucken beautiful.” He whispered as he bent his head down to kiss her. He loved his wife, he knew plenty of men that fell out of love and had affairs, but for him that was never an option he loved Carol and there were times that their marriage was rocky and they had arguments, hell she even left him to protect their kids but she never stopped loving him and he loved her to pieces. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.

“What do you need help with?” Carol’s voice brought him back to the present.

“Uh…” He groaned as her hands drifted across his bare chest. She leaned in and kissed him. “Need to stop…” He bent down to kiss her. “Need to talk about Sophia.”

Carol stopped touching him and stepped back and crossed her arms, she knew by his tone it what he was going to tell her wasn’t going to be along the lines of Sophia was making honor roll.

“She’s expelled…”

“Are you fucken kidding me?” Carol put her hand up to her mouth surprised she swore because she hardly ever swore and the fact that Daryl only brought it up now. “What did she do?”

“She physically assaulted another student…. She punched Carl in study hall… Then I got a text from Rick saying he caught Sophia and Carl… in the barn… having sex.” Daryl said, Carol could tell he was trying hard to keep his shit together.

“You sat on that all night?”

“Cameron needed us. Rick only text me a few minutes before you come out about the barn.” Daryl said.

“What now?”

“Boarding school. All girl boarding school. She has to go or she goes to juvie.” Daryl said matter of factly, “We need to ring that place that said they had a place for her. Get her started as soon as possible and hope we all make it out alive.”

Carol nodded and wondered where they went wrong with Sophia.

“

 


	65. Chapter 65

  
  
  
  


Carol wished she could start drinking right now. She wanted to be with Cameron except she and Rosita were meeting with the headmaster of the all girl boarding school they were trying to enroll Sophia into. They were listening to the rules and the school run a tight ship. Sophia had her arms folded and was shooting both her mother and Rosita dirty looks.

 

Rosita was suffering all day sickness and Carol had to pull over twice on the hour drive so she could lean out the door and vomit. She looked pale and sick. But they had to take someone with them because Sophia was still under Rosita’s and Shane's care. Shane was working and Rosita was taking some time off until she felt better.

 

Carol had just written a cheque for the terms school fees that made her eyes water. She couldn’t believe they were spending this sort of money when they could have her going to the local high school. They were digging into their personal saving to get Sophia through school. While money wasn’t tight for them, they didn’t have money to throw away like this because their spare cash supported their program and they wanted to have a nice life with their kids. She would rather take the kids on a holiday rather than spending it on one spoilt brat who didn’t know she had a dream life.

 

“So if you drop her off tomorrow night with everything on the list and two school uniforms…” The man was saying. Carol agreed to have her there at five the following night. She didn’t know if she would be doing it alone because right now Daryl was so mad at Sophia and Carol was barely keeping it together. “No cell phones, social media… we allow one phone call a day to a pre decided phone number for the first month then we will reassess once she is settled. “

 

“No phones…” Sophia blurted, the headmaster ignored her and kept talking like she never spoken. They would take over Sophia and her care and Carol and Daryl could come visit her in a month's time. The penny finally dropped with Sophia as she realized this was the end of the road. This was it for her. She was being shipped off to boarding school and everyone else's lives would go along without her because of her behaviour.

 

Two hours later Carol was standing outside the school uniform shop talking with Daryl on the phone. Cameron wasn’t doing that great because she still had a temperature and they were worried that she could have an infection at the operating site. They were still giving her IV antibiotics and pain relief. 

 

She was talking to Cam on the phone telling her that she would be there as soon as possible and she would come see her as soon as possible. Carol was getting upset because she didn’t want to be doing what she was doing she wanted to be with her last baby at the hospital instead she was with Sophia who was being difficult inside the clothing shop and Rosita was napping in the back seat of the car. 

 

Carol went into the store and she could see that Sophia was giving the sales rep the run around. She had had enough.

 

“We will take two in that size.” Carol pointed to the skirt Sophia was wearing. “Three shirts, two jersey’s and the blazer, Sophia try shoes on please and we will have five pair of tights in black.”

 

Sophia tried to protest.

 

“Shut it!” Carol growled at Sophia. “This is your doing. I don’t want to be here. Cameron needs me and she’s really sick in hospital. Stop behaving like a brat and get out into the car while I spend more money on you that we shouldn’t have to pay. And apologize to Rosita, she’s pregnant and should be at home in bed resting with the way she is feeling.”

 

Sophia moved fast out of the shop and Carol pulled out her credit card and tried not to wince at the price they were paying for the uniform. With the uniform and the fees she had paid close to six thousand dollars in less than four hours. She wished she paid that on a weekend away for just her and Daryl. She couldn’t help but wonder if she could talk Daryl into going away for a sexy weekend after they had Cameron back home. 

 

She knew it was going to take about another month for Cameron to be back into full health again.  She just hoped that there wouldn’t be a huge amount of complications with Cameron. 

 

She left the store with about four bags for Sophia and the next thing she had to do was to get Sophia home and get over to the hospital to see Cameron.

 

Carol climbed into the truck, she turned to check that Rosita was ok. Rosita held up the bottle of water she was sipping from and gave Carol a half smile. 

 

“Feel like shit.” She mumbled.

 

“Hopefully when you get to twelve weeks you will feel better.” Carol told her. Neither women were talking to Sophia and Rosita sat up and Carol drove her home. She took a few minutes to help her into bed with a cup of ginger tea. She gave Shane a call telling him she was sick. She rang Sasha who said she would pop over to visit her. Carol sat rubbing Rosita’s back waiting for someone to come sit with Rosita. As much as she wanted to get to the hospital she couldn’t with a clear mind leave the other woman so sick with morning sickness without anyone there to keep an eye on her.

 

Shane come through the door and called out that he was there. He come through checking on Rosita. Carol stood up and gave him a pat on the shoulder. She told him that Sasha would be coming over soon to check on her but she had to get going to check on Cameron at the hospital. 

 

“Ring me…” Carol started to say.

 

“You guys have your hands full… you go and see Cameron and I’m taking some leave until she’s feeling better.” Shane said, he gave her a quick hug. “We are having a scan on monday and hopefully we will have a picture to share.”

 

“Well text me.” Carol said.

 

“Ok Text me.” Carol said as she left the house.

 

Carol dropped Sophia off to Merle at the garage telling him not to let her out of his sight until she or Daryl got home to pick him up. She stopped to kiss Eden and Jordan who both were also with Merle. Charlie had gone with Daryl to see Cameron. 

 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

 

“So what did they say?” Carol was asking Daryl they were whispering away from Cameron’s bed so Charlie couldn’t hear them.

 

“That she’s real sick and if she doesn’t get better soon they will transfer her to high dependency unit.” Daryl’s hand was shaking and he reached out to hold hers, he’d been at the hospital all day alone with the two kids and Charlie had been so good barely talking but basically napping across the bottom of Cameron’s bed and Cameron had been crying for her mommy and him off and on all day. She’d finally gone to sleep on his lap with all her wires and drips on her.

 

What was supposed to be a straightforward operation turned out that that Cameron had an infection and it had spread before they took out her appendix. They were talking about putting a drain in also. 

 

Daryl had managed to move her off his lap back to the bed after she fell asleep to give his arms a rest and to use the bathroom and to take a walk to get a coffee. Charlie being there also was keeping Cameron settled.

 

“You go outside, take a walk, I’ll stay here,” Carol gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll ring you if anything happens, but you probably need to get yourself some lunch and Charlie some lunch.” Carol gave him some jobs to do so it would take his mind off what was going on… which was the start of a small panic attack.

“Ok, ok, lunch and a coffee..” He kissed her quickly and headed out for a walk. Carol reached down to stroke the hair off of Cameron’s face. She felt extremely hot to her. Carol picked up the theometor off the cabinet that was by Cameron’s bed and fiddled with it and put it in her ear taking her temp. She pushed the buzzer three times as Cameron’s temp was so high she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t start convulsing soon. 

 

The nurse’s moved fast stripping her down and wiping her arms and legs with cool clothes trying to bring the temp down. They put fans on her and as Charlie and Carol stood by watching the nurses work a doctor came in and started helping. Carol rang Daryl to tell him they were moving Cameron to the high dependency unit because her temperature was extremely high. Daryl come right back with a brown paper bag. He thrust it at Charlie and they followed the bed up to the next ward. They sat outside barely talking to each other. Charlie was sitting on Daryl’s knee curled up around him with his face in his neck and Carol was pressed at his side.

 

The doctor came out to talk to them half an hour later.

 

“We have started to bring her temperature down, she’s doing ok at the moment and we are hoping that within the next four hours we will see a dramatic change. We have also increased the flow of her drip and she should be feeling better soon and she might be up to eating some jello by the end of the day.” The doctor told them. “I’m going to stick around for the next hour to keep an eye on her and on someone else. You can go and see her now. She’s still asleep but she’s looking better.”

 

“Cammy’s going to be ok?” Charlie asked from his dad’s knee.

 

“I think so buddy… but we are in the best place.” Daryl told him, he looked across at Carol. She reached out and held his hand giving her a squeeze.

  
“Come on and lets go see if she wants to wake up.” Carol said.


	66. Chapter 66

Cameron was feeling better towards the end of the day as expected and even picked at some food. This kept the doctors happy especially as she was drinking some water and juice and both her and her twin were lying on her bed side by side sharing a pair of headphones. Daryl couldn’t believe how they worked it out. They worked well together. 

 

Carol come back in with some food for them to eat from the cafe and she sat on the chair beside Daryl. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees eating the wrap Carol had brought him to eat.

 

“You get everything sorted?” Daryl asked her, he was referring to getting Sophia packed for school.

 

“Pretty much. I think we need to get some more underwear and label everything.” Carol said, Daryl just nodded.

 

“Where is she now?”

 

“Well she’s at home packing stuff on to her dresser. I want to go through it all before its packed to make sure she doesn’t pack anything she shouldn't.” 

 

“The uniform fit.” Daryl asked. 

 

“The uniform fits and we are never going to let Carl Grimes see her in it because its….” Carol shrugged.

 

“Every teens thing? Girls in high school uniform?” Daryl groaned. It was bad enough his oldest was going off to school but now it was going to be even worse if he saw her.

 

They sat with Cameron until she fell asleep telling her that Aunty Sasha was working over night again and she would pop in and visit her. They needed to get home to the other kids and sort out Sophia.

 

Daryl managed to wake Charlie up without waking up Cameron and they left the hospital to go home. They called into a take away dinner to get some dinner to go home with. They hadn’t been shopping for  a while. They talked about giving Dylan the credit card tomorrow to go do some food for the house. 

 

(((((((((((((((((((((((((

 

The following night Carol drove home alone after dropping Sophia off at school. She had to take Rick Grimes with her because Sophia was threatening to make a break for it if Carol slowed down at any corners. Rick threatened to drop her off in a squad car made her settle down. Carol drew the short straw because one of them had to be at the hospital with Cameron and they had left the twins with Merle and Andrea.

 

It was dark when Carol pulled up to the farm and she could see lights on in Cameron’s room and all the curtains and windows opened. She could see a bare chested Daryl walk past the window. She wondered what he was doing.

 

He saw her pulling up outside and he leaned out of the window and waved at her. Carol climbed the stairs wearily and he came out of Camerons room with his jeans hanging low. She appreciated the view for a brief second. 

 

“What are you doing?” Carol asked him.

 

“Come see.” Daryl gave her a smile that could break hearts.

 

“Cammy’s not home?”

 

“No maybe one or two more days if she poops.” Daryl gave her a small smile. 

 

Carol followed him into what was once a yellow painted bedroom into a purple bedroom and she saw Dylan inside the wardrobe painting and Glenn Rhee was lying on the floor shirtless also painting the skirting boards. Daryl was now wielding a purple glitter covered roller brush. 

 

“You painted her bedroom purple?” Carol stared at him.

 

“Well… she asked me too months ago but I always was busy.” Daryl said. “She misses out a lot and we been busy. She’s a good girl, its a surprise.”

 

“Its a surprise alright. Did she want a glitter wall?” Carol asked him. “Eden and Jordan are going to want theirs done when they see it. You know that right?”

 

“Yeah… Next week.” Daryl said. “I’m going to try not to be so busy.” Daryl told her as he finished up the wall. Glenn finished the last few bits on the skirting boards and Dylan came out of the closet with his paint brush.

 

“You wanna stay at ours?” Glenn asked him. He’d given up his time with the baby to help out Daryl and Glenn come to help him when Dylan told them what they were doing for Cameron. 

 

“Yeah… I’ll get some stuff and follow down in the car.” Dylan told him. “I’ve got a late morning.”

 

Daryl and Carol waved him off. Carol wandered around looking in the kids rooms wondering where the kids actually were.

 

“Jordan and Eden are sleeping over with Merle and Charlie is with the Rhee’s and now Dylan. So its just us.” Daryl told her walking out onto the landing. “So if you wanna run about naked everywhere you can.”

 

“You wish.” Carol leaned in to kiss him. “Thanks for doing something for Cameron.”

 

“You get Sophia settled?”

 

“As much as she could be settled. She going to either thrive or she’s going to be expelled.” Carol said. “But let's get something to eat and picnic in bed.” Carol kissed him again. 


	67. Chapter 67

**

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((99

 

“Get off and let me eat.” Carol giggled as her husband was trying to use her chest as a tray to put food on. She gave him a gentle shove away and reached for her drink.

 

“But… we might never get the house to ourselves again.” Daryl complained. They were stretched across their bed with food spread around them and a movie playing that they had promised to watch time and time again but never had the chance to because they were always so busy with their children.

 

“Do you think Sophia is going to be ok?” Carol asked him.

 

“I don’t know. I really don’t. At the moment I’m worried about the little girls. We doe as much as we can for Sophia and hopefully she can take this opportunity and run with it.” Daryl said. “She’s a bright girl. I’m hoping she going to come around. Or we just have to let her do what she wants to do.”

 

“She didn’t have the best start in life.” Carol said.

 

“Lets not talk about her. We know where she is. She’s safe right now. All our kids are safe… but you… you are not safe… from my attack.” Daryl flipped her over on her back. “Come here my Queen.”

 

Carol laughed and squealed loudly as he started nuzzling into her chest.

 

“Daryl I haven’t eaten dinner.” Carol giggled but she reached out grabbing his butt holding him in place. She kissed him with a smile on her face. “Daryl I really must insist we stop right now. And eat dinner because its going to be a long night.”

 

“Spoilsport.” He relented for five minutes so she could eat some food and drink her drink. She watched him eating his dinner then they moved the plates off the bed and resumed a position of snuggling together to watch their movie. They were just getting busy when the phone rang. Daryl reached across picking it up and it was Sasha from the hospital. He passed the phone to Carol. She listened.

 

Daryl leaned back on his pillow as he listened to Carol telling a story over the phone to their youngest daughter. Ten minutes later she was speaking to Sasha again she was telling her that Cameron was back asleep again. Carol thanked her for ringing rather than trying to settle her without letting them know.

 

She handed the phone back to Daryl. “She’s asleep now.”

 

“Do you think it's safe? Do you think we are getting any more phone calls.” Daryl asked.

 

“I hope not. Where were we.”

 

“I think you were telling me how amazing your husband was… and how good looking he is.” Daryl said.

 

“And bashful.” Carol giggled.

 

“Muscly and with a big dick.” Daryl winked.

 

“You think?” Carol shook her head.

 

“Wanna look and check it out?” Daryl suggest.

 

“Not tonight I have a headache.” Carol laughed again.

 

“You know what the best cure is for headaches…”

 

“Chocolate?” Carol asked.

 

“I’ll show you.” He leaned in and started kissing his way down her body. “Come we will take a bath.” He stood up and towed her with him to the bathroom and he started filling her a bath all the time trying to slow dance with her. 

 

“Mr romantic…. Maybe we should have no kids about more often.” Carol kissed him.

 

“We could sell them. On one of those facebook groups you are always looking at.” Daryl suggested.

 

“We made them ourselves… you sell stuff you make on esty.” Carol giggled.

 

“Smart arse.” Daryl kissed her and started stripping her clothes off to get in the bath. 


	68. Chapter 68

  
  


Sophia wasn’t too happy about being in boarding school, the other girls were staring at her and whispering at her. She knew they must know that she had been kicked out of school. The first night there a couple of girls bailed her up asking her what was up with her and why she started halfway through the school term.

 

“No reason,” Sophia said trying to go down the hall for her shared room.

 

“You’re a Dixon right? Your old man owns one of the biggest garages in the area. Your parents are loaded. What did you do?” One of the girls asked. 

 

Sophia just shook her head and headed into her share room with one of the other girls

 

“They won’t stop asking.” Toni said. She had been sharing with she seemed a shy girl and was the only one in the boarding floor that didn’t have a roommate because she was a loner. “They will find out all your information and spread it around. Don’t tell them anything.”

 

Sophia nodded and she had no doubt that the girls would do that they all did that. Tried to get one up on everyone. She had met girls like that before… she was a girl like that before. Until now. She knew she was on her final legs and Carl made her promise to behave herself so hopefully she could go to prom with him in a few weeks.

 

She had to keep her grades up, keep out of trouble. Then she had to get permission from her dean and new principal. Carl had to get permission from his dean and principal to take her. Providing he kept up his grades and kept out of trouble. It was a big deal for both of them because they wouldn’t have seen each other for weeks and if she didn’t make it out for prom she wouldn’t see him until the end of term. Eight weeks. She couldn’t even talk to him. She was going to have to send him mail the old fashion way.

 

“Thanks for the heads up.” Sophia told her. “How come you have your own room. Or had?”

 

“I just kept away from that lot, I’m on scholarship, if I get kicked out I really don’t have anywhere else to go.” Toni said. “I’m a foster kid, I stay here during the holidays.”

 

“Really you were in foster homes?”

 

“Group homes, I applied for a scholarship and I got one. One more year, I’m already looking for scholarships for college.” Toni replied.

 

“You should meet my dad, they help people through college.” Sophia said. Toni looked at her for a moment.

 

“If your dad is so good why are you here, I heard you either had to come or you would be expelled.”

 

“I was stupid,” Sophia said. “But… I’m gonna try and change.”

 

“Thats good, because I would like to have a friend that was nice to me. I would love to have some fun at school with a friend. I don’t have a lot of fun here, but my grades are good because I study, I don’t get caught up with the bullshit… if you want to be friends don’t get me in trouble by being stupid.”

 

**************************************

**********************************

*******************************************************

 

_ Can you please pick up Mike for me? _

 

_ Olivia? _

 

_ Please, I’m running late, I told him you were coming to pick him up. _

 

_ Where are you? _

 

_ I am caught up with Maggie and he needs to be picked up from basketball practise. Can you just keep him until I can get there? _

 

_ Ok… he’s not going to throw a basketball at my head again is he? _

 

_ I promise he won’t, thankyou. I’ll text you when I leave here. _

 

_ Is Maggie ok? _

 

_ Yes… I just promised Glenn I would stay here until he got home, her sister has been harassing her on phone and she come by. I have to stay here because she’s getting stressed out. _

 

_ Beth is being annoying. _

 

_ Yes, but I can handle her, she’s very pretty on the outside but she’s ugly on the inside. She’s been really mean to Maggie about Jasper being adopted. _

 

_ Hm… _

 

_ Zac? _

 

_ I’ll pick him up and I’ll talk later ok. _

 

_ ************************************************** _

_ **************************************** _

_ ***************** _

Zac pulled up outside the gym, Mike was standing outside waiting for him and he opened the door and climbed into the car. He threw Zac a dirty look. 

 

“I don’t need a babysitter,” he grumbled.

 

“I don’t think your mom thought you did but she thought you might wanna eat, I’m going out to get something to eat so we most well go get food and eat it.” Zac said.

 

Mike grunted something unintelligible and Zac took it as a bonus. He knew he didn’t know how he felt about Zac dating his mom and hanging about their house at night sometimes when his mom got back from her cleaning job. And he glare at him the other morning when Zac came out of his mom’s bedroom heading out to his own place. Having tried to miss Mike by leaving early but Zac came face to face with him in the hallway and just uttered good morning before he left via the front door.

 

“I’m not trying to be your dad.” Zac said to the teen.

 

“Good, you're too young to be my dad. My dad was a prick.” Mike said. 

 

“Good, I’m not a prick.” Zac said, “I really like your mom. I like you both.”

 

Mike just looked out the window and didn’t say anything. Zac pulled up to the pub and parked. He walked through to the restaurant part with Mike and saw Carl with Axel playing pool while waiting for their meals.

 

They ordered and joined Axel and Carl and had a game of doubles, he looked across the bar and saw Beth staring at him from the other side of the room. He almost groaned wondering if she was going to come across and try talking to him. Sure he should have made a effort in the past to talk with her but she left him heartbroken and without a chance years ago. He could see her walking across.

 

“Stay with Axel,” He told Mike as he walked across and headed Beth off before she made it to say something in front of the kid.

 

“We need to talk.” Beth said.

 

“Yeah… so talk.”

 

“You don’t have to be so mean.” Beth said.

 

“What do you want Beth…” Zac said.

 

“I need money,”

 

“What for?”

 

“Well I don’t have a job

 

“Not my problem, I don’t owe you anything.” Zac said and he started to walk away. “Just leave me alone alright.”

 

“I need the money for your son.” Beth blurted out at his retreating back. Zac stopped walking, his shoulders dropped and he turned around.

 

“You’re lying, you said you lost it. Then you left.” Zac said, “Even if you have a son how do you know it was mine and not someone else's.”

 

“He’s eight and looks just like you.” Beth said. “I thought… I don’t know… he’s yours… and if you can’t give me money to help with him, you most well take him. I really don’t need that stress anymore. I always need money for him. You can take him.”

 

“Like that you tell me you have a son, I have one and now you want me to take him.” Zac just shook his head. “You really are a piece of work aren't you.”

 

Beth just shrugged. 

 

“Where is he? Who has him? Whats his name?” Zac asked.

 

“He’s in school, a boarding school that takes them from early on.” Beth flipped her hair. “I just have him during the holidays… I’m not really maternal… His name is Niko… Nicolas.”

 

“Yeah I can see that.” Zac didn’t know if she was lying or not. Or just after his money.  She told him she was pregnant when they broke up, he told her they were not getting back together again even if she was pregnant. Two days later she told him she miscarried and left town a few weeks later after they sold the farm to the Dixon. Her parents were long gone and Zac knew that Maggie and Beth had a big hand out from the sale of the farm. 

 

She had always lied to him and then she cheated behind his back that he didn’t know if she was even telling the truth now or not. He did the maths their kid would be eight or nine and she’s telling him this in the bar while he was watching Olivia’s son.

 

“I need…” Beth started to say.

 

“Money? Or are you going to give me my kid?” Zac said. “I’ll take him.”

 

“You haven’t even met him… he’s super annoying.” Beth said.

 

“You ring them and tell them I’m coming for him, I can’t believe you never told me. You kept this from me.” The words were coming out of his mouth before he could help it. “How could you do this to me?”

 

“I don’t know…” Beth said. “I’m sorry ok…” She wrote down the name of the school. “I’ll let them know you are coming tomorrow.”

 

Zac snatched up the note not knowing if he was being punked or not. “Ring them now.” He said.

 

“Its late.” Beth said.

 

Zac looked at his watch seeing it was only six thirty. “Ring them now.” He said looking at the note seeing the school was barely an hour away. “Tell them I’m coming tonight. Tell them to get him ready.”

 

“Are you kidding you don’t even know what he’s like.” Beth looked like she regretted even telling him. She didn’t mean to tell him but she needed the money to keep him in school or she needed Zac to take him. She had no money left and she really hadn’t cared that much for  the little boy, she had enough money for a nanny. And she kept him from Zac just to spite him now she couldn’t afford to keep him from him just to spite him because the school wanted the fees and she had no cash.

 

“I owe the school two grand.” Beth said. “They want the money.”

 

“Two grand… what… two grand Beth where the fuck am I going to get two grand from at this time of night?” Zac shook his head at her. The bank was closed and he knew he would have to pay the fees or they wouldn’t let him go. “That's why you finally told me. You needed me to bail you out.”

  
Beth shrugged at his comment. She pulled out her phone telling them that Niko’s dad would be picking him up and gave them his name and told them his fees would be paid in full. Zac run his hand through his hair. He just shook his head at Beth and headed over to try figure out what to do with Mike.


	69. Chapter 69

 

“Is everything ok?” Mike asked Zac, they were walking through the car park towards his car. Zac had basically forced him to hurry and finish his meal before getting his to go. He was carrying it out to the car telling Mike that he needed to hurry that he had something really important to do, he just couldn't explain it yet.

 

“Yeah, I just need to drop you off to your mom for a bit and I’ve got something to do, something come up.” Zac told her.

 

He text Olivia to say he was dropping Zac off at the Rhee’s for her that something come up and he would talk to her about it later.  When  he figured out what the hell to do. He pulled up the Rhee’s drive and told Mike to tell his mom he would ring her later that night and it might be really late. He had some stuff to sort out. He backed down the drive and drove fast up the road roaring into the driveway in front of Daryl’s house.

 

Daryl come out on the front porch wondering who was driving like a mad man up his driveway. Carol was at the hospital with Cameron and Daryl had been giving the kids some desert when he heard a car. He come out to see who it was as he wasn't expecting anyone at all he wondered what the emergency was.

 

“What’s going on?” He asked Zac, Zac run his hand through his hair and looked like he was going to break down. Daryl put his hand on his shoulder wondering if he should contact Glenn, he hadn't ever seen Zac in a state like this for a long time.

 

“I need two grand… maybe more.” Zac said, “Cash, tonight... can you help me? Do you still stash cash?”

 

Daryl just stood there for a second, then he nodded. He didn’t ask why Zac needed money.

 

“Come in, I’ve just got the kids inside,” Daryl said. Zac followed him into the house and into the study. Daryl opened the safe and pulled out hundred dollar notes and put three bundles on the table. “Is that enough?” He tossed another bundle on the table. Zac knew it was four grand in cash. Daryl always had cash, but Carol made him keep it in a safe now rather than hidden around the house. Zac was sure though if he looked hard enough he would still find money tucked in here and there about the house.

 

“I think so.” Zac said. “I’ll pay you back tomorrow... I promise, when the bank opens.”

 

“Are you ok? You don’t have to tell me but are you in some sort of gambling debt?”

 

“No... Not like that... but I’m going to kill Beth fucken Greene… she just told me… she just told me I have a kid and she has him in boarding school.” Zac finally spat out. “All this time… all this time she told me she lost it… she’s been lying to me she didn’t lose him, she just thought of him as a inconvenience and left him at school and with nannies and now her money’s dried up. That’s why she’s back and why she’s been hanging about. She wanted my money.”

 

Daryl stood there staring at him for a full minute then he shook his head. He didn't even know Beth had been pregnant he bet Maggie didn't know either or Glenn. He really couldn't believe what he was hearing.

 

“So whats the plan?” Daryl asked, Zac was pacing Daryl's den.

 

“I”m going to go get him. Now.” Zac said.

 

“And then what? You have a plan after that?”

 

“No… I don’t know.”

 

“Bring him here. Charlies here. Carol will be here. We will make up Sophia’s room for you tonight and the little guy can bunk with Charlie and tomorrow you can decide what you need to do. But the garage isn’t really a good place to go with a kid that doesn’t know you.” Daryl suggested.

 

“Ok… I’ve no idea what to do or even say to him. What if he won’t come?” Zac said. "What the hell am I doing... am I doing the right thing?"

 

“I don’t know.” Daryl said, “Cross that bridge when you come to it.”

 

“Ok.” Zac nodded his thanks and left as fast as he came. He flew past the Rhees and to the corner. He slowed down until he made his way down the highway to go meet his child he never knew he had.

 

****************************

***********************************

*******************************************

  
  


All sorts of things were going through Zac’s mind, he couldn’t believe it. His thoughts were racing and he was pulling up outside the boarding school before he knew it. He parked and slammed his hands on the steering wheel of the car. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He grabbed his leather jacket from the back seat, pulling it on. He grabbed the money and his wallet and phone took one of the deepest breaths of his life and headed in the main entrance to the building.

 

One hour later he was leaving with a little blond boy who was holding a toy fluffy tiger like it was his lifeline. Zac was carrying two suitcases, a school progress report and a receipt for the money he paid the school. He opened the back door of the car settling Niko inside and helping him with his suit case. The little boy was staring at him looking terrified of him.

 

“Are you going to kill me?” Niko’s voice was wavering and he started crying hysterically holding his teddy, he started crawling away from Zac on the back seat.

 

“No, no… of course not. I’m going to take you to live with me. I just found out about you today.” Zac said, he bent down by the car door. “Why would you think that. I know it's a bit of a surprise me coming.”

 

“Mom… I mean Beth told me you were in jail for killing children.” Niko burst out crying.

 

Zac didn’t know what to do, he run his hand through his hair. He wanted to kill Beth in that moment. He had no idea what to say or how to even fix this.

 

“No… no,” Zac said, “I work at a garage, one of the best, I’ve never been to jail. Would you like to meet some other kids, my friend said we can stay with them and they have two sets of twins around your age.”

 

“Are you lying?” Niko asked him.

 

“I promise, do you want to talk to them? Talk to Charlie?” Zac said. He dialed Daryl’s number and asked for Charlie. Daryl said nothing and put Charlie on the phone. He talked for a couple of minutes to the little boy telling him he would let him play with his toys and wait up for them. Zac thanked god that Niko was ok with listening to Charlie. He was able to get in the driver's seat and drive while Niko talked about Dinosaurs in the back seat with Charlie. Charlie talked to Zac all the way back to Daryl's farm.

 

**************************

************************

************************

 

Charlie was waiting with Daryl on the wrap around porch for them when they pulled up the driveway. Zac, turned his car off and glanced over his shoulder.

 

“That’s Charlie, and Daryl. That’s Charlie's mom Carol.” Zac said.

 

“He lives with his mom?” Niko asked.

 

“Yeah… and his sister is sick at the moment. His twin she’s just had her appendix out and those two little girls up there thats, Eden and Jordan. They are twins too.” Zac said. “Do you wanna go meet them?”

 

“You really didn’t kill a bunch of people?”

 

“No… that’s a lie, I never did that. I’ve worked for Daryl for a long time since I was a kid.” Zac said.

 

Niko sat there looking, “How long am I staying with you?”

 

Zac looked at the little boy, it had to be completely overwhelming for him, it was already for Zac.

 

“For good, you are going to stay with me for good. I live in a small place right now,  but I’ll find something bigger for us.” Zac said. “But for a few nights we are going to stay here with Carol and Daryl. Get to know each other then I’ll look for a place.”

 

“K,” was all he said. He looked like he didn’t believe Zac and was waiting for the other penny to drop. “But what about when you get sick of me?”

 

“Niko… I don’t think you understand… forever. I’m not sending you away anywhere.” Zac said. “I didn’t know you were even born… or anything about you until six thirty tonight.. Then I came and picked you up.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really, now do you want to play dinosaurs?” Zac said.

 

  
Ok.” Niko wasn’t sure about all of this but he was keen to get out of the car and see what toys were on offer. Zac opened the door for him and held his hand out to get him out of the car.

 

“You can go up, I’ll get your bag.” Zac told him, Niko was already talking with Charlie who was coming down the steps talking to Niko telling him to come up to his room and see his toys and the spare bed Carol had made up for him.

 

Zac made his way slowly up the steps.

 

“Hi, can someone take my car keys and hide all the rest of the car keys and handcuff me to a bed, because I really want to go kill Beth Greene right now.” Zac stopped in front of Daryl handing his keys over to him. “I mean it. If she comes near me again. And I need to ring Tara, get a lawyer.” 

 

“Ok, hand it over, hand over your phone too just in case you do some rage calling.” Carol said. Zac pulled out his cell phone and handed that to Daryl also. 

 

Carol and Daryl couldn’t believe the story that Zac had told Daryl before heading out to get Niko.

 

“Some of the things she told him, she told him.... I was in jail for killing little kids..." Zac said to Carol. "What do I do now?"

"I don't know... ice cream maybe and a bath, put him to bed and maybe tomorrow we can think together with clear heads. Get him enrolled in school with the twins and go from there.... We can finish converting the barn." Carol said. Zac just sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. 


	70. Chapter 70

 

****************************************

 

Zac and Daryl read to the boys and left them talking together until they fell asleep. Carol moved about going through the boys clothes and belongings to see what he had and what Zac would need to buy. Zac was nursing a beer that Daryl had provided him.

 

“Plans?” Daryl asked him, Zac just shook his head, he had no idead.

 

“I don’t know… my first plan is not to get arrested from killing Beth…” Zac said.

 

Dylan came in the door, he was home late Daryl and Carol didn’t even want to know where he had been all evening, all they hoped was he was making good choices. And they were not going to be presented with another baby any time soon.

 

“Hi… Zac, hows it going?” Dylan said.

 

Daryl quickly filled in Dylan with what was going on with Zac, there was no love loss between Dylan and Beth ever since she said what she said about Jasper. He couldn’t wait for her to leave town. He couldn’t believe that she had treated Niko that way.

 

“She’s a bitch… I hate her.” Dylan said.

 

Carol tried to make soothing noises so the teen would calm down and not stir Zac up again and both of them plot revenge on Beth together. She suggested that Dylan go take a shower and get sorted for bed. 

 

Zac’s phone had been buzzing for the past hour with text messages from Olivia asking if everything was ok. He had been fiddling with his phone looking at the text messages but hadn’t replied, the last text she text through caught his eye.

 

_ “Have you changed your mind about us?” _

 

“I have to make a call.” Zac said excusing himself and heading out to the porch. He didn’t even know what the heck to say to her. This might be a deal breaker. 

 

“Hey…” Zac said. “I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

 

“Are you ok… Mike said…”

 

“I gotta tell you something… I run into Beth and…” He just stopped talking and she didn’t say anything. There was just silence at the end of the phone. “I found out… I had a son and I went and picked him up from boarding school.”

 

There was still silence at the end of the phone.

 

“Are you there?”

 

“Yes… I’m just trying to figure out if I can get away with murder.” Olivia’s voice come over the phone. 

 

“I’ve already thought about it.”

 

“You didn’t know?”

 

“I knew she was pregnant… but she told me she lost it… but she didn’t. She had him and never told me. She said some dreadful things about me.” Zac said quietly into the phone.

 

“Where are you?”

 

“Daryl’s…”

 

“Do you want me to come see you?” Olivia asked, Zac looked at his watch knowing fine well Mike would be asleep and he didn’t want her to come out leaving him home alone.

 

“Nah… I’ll be ok, wait till you meet him…” Zac said.

 

“You want me to meet him?” Olivia asked him, “So soon?”

 

“You're my girl… course I do.”

 

“Maybe give him a few days to settle in first before I come on the scene, I don’t want to interfer with his mother and cause any confusion.” Olivia said.

 

“You don’t get it. Beth… she doesn’t want him. She only told me because… she couldn’t afford to hide him from me anymore so she offered him up like a dog told me I had to take care of his bills and I could keep him… She doesn’t want to see him again.”

 

“That…. Bitch.” Olivia said. “I’d love to meet him but give it a couple of days first. What is your plans anyway. You can’t live with him at the garage?”

 

“I don’t know yet… I’m going to stay here for a few days and try find a place.” Zac said.

 

“You could…. I mean… you could move in here.” Olivia offered. “I have a spare room he can have… and I can help?”

 

“You want me to move in with you? Like… shit…. I don’t know… Mike doesn’t really like me that much.”

 

“He’s all talk… he will be fine. I’ll talk to him. Think about it… Zac…”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“I love you!” Olivia said quietly over the phone. It was the first time anyone of them said it. “I know its early but I think we are good together… we are great friends and I do… love you.”

 

“Me too hun… love you too… I’ll ring you in the morning… I need to figure out school and clothes and stuff. Talk tomorrow ok.”

 

“Bye.”

  
She hung up and Zac stood on the porch for a long time thinking.


	71. Chapter 71

 

Zac spent the morning enrolling Niko into school, he went to see Tara who worked with Glenn and got a restraining order against Beth for the little boy who was scared of her and didn’t want to see her again. Zac didn’t want to see her again either.

 

Tara worked it out so that Niko if Beth decided she wanted to see him it was going to become so complicated that she wouldn’t want to even try. She called the police to issue a restraining order and had it had delivered to Beth before Zac even left the Tara’s office.

 

Niko was at the garage with Carol and Daryl that morning and Zac was going to go get him some new clothes and toys. He needed to try figure things out. He had the offer to move in with Olivia which if she had of asked him yesterday morning he would have said yes but now he had to think about Niko and would he be happy to move in with his girlfriend. What if things went tits up.

 

For now he thought it was best if they hung in with Carol and Daryl. He stopped by Olivia’s place on his way to the garage to pick up Niko. 

 

Olivia opened the door for him welcoming him in, “How are you today?” She welcomed him with a hug, he stepped into her arms and stayed there until things went awkward because they were standing there so long. 

 

“Honey… come I’ll make you a coffee we can sit on the couch.” Olivia said.  

 

Zac sat on the couch and put his face in his hands, he looked across at Olivia making him a coffee, “How come you are not at work?”

 

“Maggie is feeling a bit better today. I went for a few hours this morning and Glenn's going to be home around three today.” Olivia said. She walked across with a couple of coffees and put them on the coffee table in front of him. “So what is going on?”

 

“Saw a lawyer… went enrolled him into school.” Zac said. He crossed his arms in front of him he looked really pissed off still. “Why she do that to him?”

 

“Because some women are just plain bitches thats why… did you think about moving in here?”

 

“I don’t know. I just go him and it would be a bit much wouldn’t it. Him and Mike. You and me just got together. To be a thrown together family.” Zac said.

 

“I don’t know. It might be the best thing for both boys. To have a stable family, a mom and a dad?” 

 

“Are you asking me to be Mike's dad… cos I  don’t think he sees me like that. He sees me as someone who’s a  big pain in his ass and someone who he doesn’t want around his mom.”

 

“I actually meant Niko probably never had a mom really or a dad. It would be nice for him.” Olivia said. “But if you don’t think so or you want to wait I’m fine with that.”

  
  


“I think we should wait for a little while at least. I wanna move in but… I just need to sort out the little guy first.” Zac said.

 

He leaned over and kissed her quickly, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back, she knew it was hard on him right now and if she managed to  get her hands around Beth's neck she would not be responsible for her actions.

 

He stayed on the couch kissing her for some time before deciding it was time to go and check up on his son. She had to go to the store later to pick up some stuff for Mike.

 

“What if I help you shop for Niko? I can meet you both at the store and help you shop.” Olivia suggested.

 

“That would be great because I have no freaken idea of what I am doing or what to buy for him.” Zac said.

 

“Boys I know about, men… I’m still learning.” Olivia said.

 

“Do you want to come with me and meet him? He’s at the garage then we can go to the store, do you need to pick up Mike?” Zac said.

 

Olivia shook her head, “Basketball practice, I’m free until six so lets go shopping.”

 

Zac waited by the front door while Olivia grabbed her things she needed to go to the shop. It was going to be interesting introducing Niko to Olivia and seeing how the boy would react to him and her being a couple and spending some more time with him shopping.


	72. Chapter 72

 

“I want to make a stop first.” Zac told Olivia and she just nodded not pushing for answers or giving advice knowing he was barely keeping it together. 

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“Rhee’s.” Was the only answer he gave her, she just nodded. He pulled into Glenn and Maggies driveway. Olivia put her hand on his arm as he went to get out.

 

“Remember she’s pregnant be kind… they probably didn’t know. I’m sure she wouldn’t have let him stay in a boarding school if she knew.”

 

He nodded and climbed out. Olivia got out of the car and moved slowly standing back to give him space but ready to jump in if a fight started.

 

He knocked on the door. Maggie opened it she saw the look on his face and opened the door for him to come in. Olivia followed him in and down the hall.

 

“Jaspers just on the floor having a kick, is everything ok?” Maggie asked, she gestured to the baby on his back with his pants off trying to get his toes.

 

“Did you know?” Zac asked Maggie. Maggie looked confused at his statement. “Did you know about Niko?”

 

“Niko?” Maggie looked confused, she looked to Olivia for some sort of sign or information.

 

“My son… Niko… Beth’s kept him from me!” Zac said, Maggie shook her head and sat down, Olivia moved about to make a cup of tea for her while she sat and spoke with Zac. Maggie couldn’t believe that Beth had kept this secret from everyone. Considering her parents were gone for so long now. They would never have known Beth even had a baby.

 

“I just can’t get my head around it,” Maggie said. “We will help, do you want to move in here? There’s not much room but the baby is still in our room you can have a room each.” 

 

Zac shook his head, “We are going to stay with Daryl… and Olivia offered. I don’t know… we are just playing it by air. Until he gets settled. I need to get him into school and right now we need to pick him up from Carol and Daryl.”

 

Olivia hadn’t spoken at all and just sat back watching what was going on. She was so mad at Beth and wanted to hit her, she needed to keep out of Beth’s way because she couldn’t blame Maggie for looking so mad. But she was trying to keep it calm for Maggie.

 

“Why don’t we all have dinner together… tonight. Maybe we could do a potluck dinner at Daryl’s if they are ok with it. We can all meet him in a place where he has been before.”

 

“I’ll ask them, if now we will come down after supper.” Maggie said. “I’m so sorry Zac, I can’t believe that she did that to you and Niko.”

 

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

 

Carol and Daryl agreed to having the Rhee’s over for dinner and suggested that they invite everyone over to meet Niko, Shane and Rosita, Rick and Sasha, Merle and Andrea and all the kids. 

 

Olivia and Zac took him to the big department store to buy him clothes for school and toys and anything else that caught their eyes that the young boy wanted. They could tell after an hour in the store he was completely overwhelmed with everything that Olivia suggested that they cut the shopping short and now they knew what size he was she could duck out and buy him anything that he didn’t have and needed. For now he had the basic’s, tee shirts, sweat shirts, jeans, shorts and shoes. Zac brought him a jacket and underwear just before they headed to the check out because they forgot to get those.

 

In the car park Zac was putting the clothes and bags in the trunk. Niko was playing with a hand held game that he had just been brought in the back seat of the car when Zac looked up seeing Beth standing there.

 

“Get lost!” Zac hissed at her.

 

“I can’t believe you put a restraining order on me.” Beth flipped her hair.

 

“I can’t believe I ever liked you now go… you are not allowed one hundred yards of us.” Zac hissed.

 

Olivia come back towards the car after having taken the trolley back. Beth turned to her with a sneer. 

 

“Nice to see you walking some of that weight off.” Beth said to her.

 

“Lets go,” Zac said, he grabbed at Olivia’s arm and moved her towards the side of the car to put her in the car so she didn’t punch Beth like he could tell she was going too. “She’s not worth the court date.” He kissed her on the mouth and opened the door for her.

  
Zac walked around the front of the door and attempted to back out of the park. Beth wouldn’t move. He inched back and she wouldn’t move. He wasn’t about to get out of the car at all to confront her. She was doing it so she could claim he struck her with the car. He called the police and they had to just wait for them to come and remove her. Because she broke the restraining order they took her to the police station and she would have to go to court.


	73. Chapter 73

 

It shouldn’t have given Olivia as much satisfaction as it did to see Beth put in the back of a police car and also she struck a police officer and was arrested. Zac told her to put away her cell phone when she went to take a photo for later.

 

Niko was watching it all go down with big wide eyes. He looked a little fearful of Beth but Zac assured him that he wouldn’t be going anywhere with her and to remember that he was going to stay forever with him now. He had Zac as a full time dad.

 

“But why does she do that?” Niko asked Zac while Zac was up in his bedroom that he was sharing with Charlie putting away the new clothes they pick for him. 

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“She’s always so mean.” Niko said. “Is Maggie mean?”

 

“No… she’s nice, and you have a cousin. Maggie isn’t like her sister at all.” Zac sat down on the bed and tried to assure him that he wasn’t going to do anything but sit and listen to all the questions he had.

 

“And the man?”

 

“He’s nice too. He was the one who helped us keep you.” Zac said.

 

“Who’s Olivia? Is she your girlfriend?” 

 

“Yeah… do you like her?” Zac asked her. “I like her, we have been friends for a long time.”

 

“I don’t know…” Niko said. “I don't really like women… they aren't very nice… I like Carol.”

 

“Everyone likes Carol… but she’s married to Daryl so….” Zac said. “And they have kids and everything… I think its serious.”

 

Niko looked at Zac and he actually cracked a smile.

 

“I think he likes her too.” Niko said. “I don’t know… I’ll have to see.”

 

“Ok… are you going to be ok if I take Olivia out on a date from time to time then?”

 

Niko shrugged and Zac took tags off new shorts and a tee shirt. He tossed them to Niko to put on for the dinner. It wasn’t going to be overwhelming and if it was they could always go outside and play a game or look at the farm animals.

 

“Does Olivia like kids?”

 

“I think so… she has one. A boy called Mike. He’s fifteen I think. Or fourteen I’m not to sure.” Zac said. “He’s at high school.”

 

“Does he like kids?” Niko asked.

 

“I don’t know. Maybe you need to ask him.” Zac said. “Now hurry up and get dressed everyone will be waiting for us for dinner soon.” 

 

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

 

Three hours later Niko was hiding behind the chair Maggie was sitting in and everyone was pretending they didn’t know he was there.  Maggie was talking to Carol and Olivia about the baby and Dylan was giving Jasper a bottle on another seat. Glenn was chatting to Daryl Zac and Merle at the kitchen table.

 

Rick and Sasha had taken their kids home and Shane and Rosita had called in a rain check because of morning sickness was all day sickness. She was nearing the twelve week mark and Rosita was hoping that it would all just disappear. 

 

Mike was outside with Judith pushing her on the swing. Both of them were under the watchful eyes of her Dad and two uncles. Zac was thankful that Niko was a boy. He didn’t know what to do about him hiding from everyone. They just assumed that it was all overwhelming meeting everyone. 

 

Daryl’s kids were upstairs getting ready for bed. They could hear them racing around upstairs and the giggling. Everyone raised their eyes towards the roof when there was a thud and then silence then crying. Daryl stood up and Glenn followed him to check there wasn’t anything major damaged. 

 

Cameron had only been home for a day and they knew that it wouldn’t be her racing about. Daryl had carried her up the stairs an hour before and put her in her bed. Her siblings were the ones racing about. They hoped they hadn’t landed on her bed or anything. 

 

They heard loud voices upstairs as Daryl told everyone to get into their own beds and then there wouldn’t be a problem. Glenn's voice was thrown into the mix and a tone of giggles upstairs. Carol just shook her head at the fact the men were making more noise than the children.

 

Zac glanced over at Niko wondering if he needed to go to bed. But he was curled up into a tiny ball so that no one would see him.  Zac stood up and walked over to where Maggie was sitting. He didn’t know why he had followed Maggie around all night. 

 

Zac crouched down and held his arm out to him. “Come on, you need to get to bed too.”

 

Olivia and Carol didn’t look, Maggie glanced over her shoulder at the boy. Niko crawled out into his dad’s arms and hugged him tight. “Come on  little man… lets get you up to bed too. Say goodnight to everyone.”  Zac stood with Niko still in his arms. Niko didn’t even lift his head to say anything so Zac didn’t force it and carried him up the stairs to Charlie's room.

 

“Is that normal? He seems to hate me…” Maggie said.

 

“I don’t think so he’s just needs time.” Carol said. “It's been a rough time for him. Zac’s just had him a few days. It's going to take a while for him to come around. He’s never really had a family.”

  
Olivia didn’t say anything she just glanced at Merle who was watching her son flirting with his daughter outside. She just hoped Mike behave while Judith's dad was watching.


	74. Chapter 74

Zac waved Olivia and Mike off down the drive, Olivia deciding it was time to go before Merle got a hold old Mike after he caught Judith and him kissing outside under the big tree. Daryl had grabbed the back of Merle's pants and told him welcome to parenthood of raising teenaged girls and he should put bars on her bedroom windows. 

 

Merle wasn’t a happy dad because he realized that his little girl was growing up and he was about to flip his lid when Daryl joked that they could probably get a family special with two girls at boarding school not just the one.

 

Andrea shook her head and gathered up their kids and they headed for home not long after Olivia and Mike left, Judy was smiling dreamy like she just had her first kiss. Andrea smiled pleased that her daughter's first kiss was a special one, even if Merle was clenching and unclenching his fists the whole way home.

 

“Stop,” She put her hand on his thigh as she parked in their driveway, “calm down. It's not a big deal.”

 

He didn’t say anything and he helped get all the kids back inside the house. They went through the routines of getting the kids into their beds and Merle stuck his head inside Judy’s bedroom door and said goodnight to her.

 

“Night princess.”

 

“Are you still mad?” Judy looked up from the book she was looking at. 

 

“No, just you are my little girl and it's just hard on me to see you growing up,” Merle told her, “It's going to take some time… I love ya but…”

 

“I’m not going to stop being your girl… you are not going to stop being my dad, but please don’t make the throat slitting motion again to Mike, you really scared him.”

 

“I’ll think about it…” Merle walked across the room and dropped a kiss on her forehead and she waved him away. Sophia watched him leave, she was a little mad at him because he scared Mike and she didn’t know if he would talk to her again because her dad was so scary. He was being silly about it. She wasn’t like Sophia she wasn’t going to go off the rails or boy crazy because of a little kiss. 

 

Andrea had just finished feeding the baby and she put the little fella into his cot in the little room off their bedroom, they could hear him but they could also have their privacy. Merle come up behind her and stroked the baby’s face and said goodnight. Andrea loved the fact he wasn’t scared to show affection to their children and kiss their babies. It made her happy and safe with their family.

 

They had been quite lucky that all their babies had been easy to get to sleep and they hadn’t spent many nights walking the floors with them. They knew that Rick’s baby had slept with them for months because it was the only way anyone would get any sleep.

 

“Well Mrs Dixon, I think i have a few new grey hairs do you want to check?” Merle run his hand over his buzz cut.

 

“I don’t think so Merle, you might have cooties…” Andrea stroked his buzz cut, she leaned in and gave him a kiss. “I love you, you are the best dad but you need to relax, Judy’s a good girl.”

 

He kissed her back and stroked the baby’s head again and followed his wife back to their room to go to bed. They never had a great deal of problems, they had from time to time normal marriage problems, lack of time and being busy with the babies because they were both so tired and busy but nothing that ever made them lose connection with each other.

 

“Love you too babe…” Merle said kissing and backing her onto the bed.

 

“Slow down handsome, kids are still awake and I really don’t want to have to look at Judy across the kitchen table tomorrow morning.” Andrea said.

  
“Don’t let me fall asleep… twenty minutes they all will be down,” Merle mumbled as he shut his eyes preparing to wait his kids out to spend some one on one time with his wife. Andrea cuddled into his side kissing his jaw and down his neck. It was too late, he was already slipping into a deep sleep.


	75. Chapter 75

 

“Daryl you are going to have to talk to her tonight.” Carol come into his office and sat down on the chair across from his desk. He knew what she was talking about, he had to talk to Sophia because until now it had been Carol fielding the phone calls and sometimes they had had Carl come to the house to speak with her.

 

“Fine…”

 

“Don’t use that tone…”

 

“Ok… I’ll talk to her tonight.” Daryl said.

 

“And tell her you are pleased with her school results so far.” Carol prompted.

 

“Ok…”

 

“Daryl look at me… how long are you going to be mad at her, you need to let it go it's not good for your heart.” Carol said.

 

“Nothing wrong with my heart. It's just you need to just … I don’t know… I just don’t know if it's me that made her go this way.” Daryl said. “What if something I did, or it was me that made her go this way.”   
  


“Daryl…” Carol said.

 

“Don’t… I can’t stop thinking about it…”

 

“Daryl… you do more for our kids than you know… you took on Dylan. You helped Glenn… Now we have Zac and Nico here… its not you. She just lost all her chances. If you didn’t care she wouldn’t be in boarding school.”

 

“Maybe… I’ll talk to her.” Daryl said

 

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

((((((((((((((

 

“I might have done a thing…” Daryl admitted to Carol.

 

“What type of a thing?” Carol said. 

 

“I talked to Sophia… she was telling me about her roommate and I think we might have an extra house guest for the long weekend. She has a roommate that doesn’t have anyone. So we are hosting her for the long weekend.” Daryl lay down on the bed turning on his side looking at Carol with puppy dog eyes.

 

“You are a good man, you know that… but I have no idea where we are going to put everyone.” Carol leaned over and kissed him.

 

“Maybe we could move out and give them our room. We could run away and leave them with Zac.” Daryl laughed.

 

“I don’t think that is fair for Zac to be put in the deep end with hundreds of kids… and Sophia.” Carol laughed about it.  “Zac would be running down the road. Quite quickly.”

 

They lay there looking at each other for a bit.

 

“So do we know anything about this girl?” Carol asked him. He shrugged they both knew what they had been told by Sophia.


	76. Chapter 76

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> slowly getting back into it guys. its been a long time. x

Rosita and Shane were staring at the moniter having their scan. They both were in shock when not one baby was in there but two.

 

"I should of bloody known!" Shane muttered. 

 

"Oh my goodness!" Rosita looked very excited, it was more than she could imagine. "Are you ok?" She asked Shane.

 

"I'm ok, its ok, I...." He looked and her and bent down to kiss her, she didn't miss the tears in his eyes, "Its a good ok..."

"Do you want to know the sex?" The lady taking the scan asked them, they looked at each other and nodded.

"You have two little boys in there, baby A and baby B, they are identical twins, see they are in the same sack." she told them, both Shane and Rosita were in shock and didn't know if they regretted using Dixon sperm or not. They should of known he only shot twin sperm.

After they left they were sitting at a small coffee shop turning the scan photos this way and that staring at the babies that were growing inside of Rosita.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Rosita asked Shane again.

"You know... I thought I wouldn't be.... I thought maybe that there would be some resentment there but there isn't, they are my babies, and I can't wait to tell everyone we are have two boys." Shane told her honestly, he leaned over and kissed her again.

 

****************************88

 

"Carl... are you sure you have done all your assignments that you need to get in?" Sasha asked Carl, he was heading out to the movies with a few of the guys from school. They were pleased he was getting out and about now that Sophia was away he was free to do so.

"I have one due on Thursday and its a page, thats it." He told her, "Did you need me for something else?"

"No... I'm just checking, being a good aunty making sure you are doing ok."

"Where's uncle Rick?"

"He's still working he will be home later, I invited your dad for dinner tomorrow..."

Axel had been around a great deal more over the past month and was steady becoming a figure that you often saw in the Grimes house hold. All the worries that he wouldn't be good for Carl had gone out the window, it was clear that the man adored Carl.

"Ok, I won't be late anyway," He told her as he headed out the door. He was going to be meeting a bunch of people including Judy and Mike at the movies. Sasha was pleased but they didn't know what they would do next weekend with Sophia come home for the next weekend. Legally she still was under their care and Shane and Rositas care. She just hoped she behaved herself.

 

*************

"I might of invited Sophia's roommate to come stay with us for mid term break." Daryl told Carol as they were getting ready for bed.

"Really? Do you know anything about her?"

"Only that she's at school on scholarship, she's in a group home foster care and manged to get herself into school. So we have to fill in some paper work to get her to come... thats ok isn't it."

"Its fine..." Carol leaned over and kissed him, he was a good man, he didn't want another child sitting in the dorm alone. They had so many kids in their home that they were bursting at the seams, Dylan, Niko and Zac were still here and they two sets of twin, Cameron was still recovering from her appendix so she hoped this kid was a good kid and they wouldn't have any trouble with her like they did with Sophia. Hopefully it would all go ok.

 

 


End file.
